Badgers Open Season Under the Lights at Lambeau Against Fourth-Ranked Notre Dame

Wisconsin football kicks off its 2026 campaign with one of its toughest possible assignments: a primetime meeting with No. 4 Notre Dame at Lambeau Field on Sunday. The game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff broadcast nationally on NBC, a property of Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA), whose shares were trading near $26.49 in recent action, down about 0.64% from the prior close of $26.66.

The matchup pairs a Wisconsin program in full rebuild mode against a Notre Dame team with College Football Playoff aspirations. The Badgers finished 4-8 last season, their weakest campaign by win percentage since 1990. In response, the staff overhauled the roster through the transfer portal, adding more than 30 new players, and made several changes within the coaching staff and front office.

Colton Joseph takes center stage

The headliner of Wisconsin’s reset is quarterback Colton Joseph, a transfer from Old Dominion and the reigning Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year. Joseph threw for 2,624 yards with 21 touchdown passes a season ago while also piling up more than 1,000 rushing yards and double-digit scores on the ground, giving the Badgers a proven dual-threat presence under center.

Defensively, Wisconsin is counting on internal growth and new faces. Sophomores Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano, high-profile freshmen a year ago, are stepping into full-time roles, and the secondary features new starters at both corner and safety. The group faces an immediate stress test against a Notre Dame offense loaded with returning production.

The Irish perspective

Notre Dame arrives with a chip on its shoulder after a 10-2 season that ended without a Playoff berth. Second-year starting quarterback C.J. Carr enters the year among the leading Heisman Trophy candidates. The market has moved firmly toward the Irish: after opening at 20.5-point favorites, the line has climbed to 21 points, while the total has dipped from 47.5 to 46.5.

Injury notes

Wisconsin expects right tackle Kevin Heywood to play despite missing much of training camp with an injury. Right guard Emerson Mandell, however, is out as he continues to recover from offseason foot surgery, a notable absence on an interior line tasked with protecting Joseph.

What to watch

• How Joseph handles a Notre Dame front seven in his first start for the Badgers
• Performance of Wisconsin’s reworked secondary against Carr and the Irish passing game
• Whether the betting line continues to shift toward Notre Dame before kickoff
• NBC’s primetime ratings for the Week 1 showcase, relevant to Comcast’s media segment

Source: original release