Notre Dame 41, Wisconsin 13Regular season — Shamrock Series, Lambeau Field
- surgemedianyc
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No. 4 Notre Dame turned a precarious 13–10 halftime lead into a rout, outscoring Wisconsin 28–3 after the break to open its season 1–0.
CJ Carr passed for 239 yards and two touchdowns. He found James Flanigan from three yards out after Ko’o Kia recovered a Wisconsin kickoff fumble, then finished the scoring with a 28-yard touchdown to Nolan James Jr.
Aneyas Williams delivered in his first start, rushing for 90 yards and two touchdowns. His scores capped drives of 70 and 75 yards.
The decisive sequence came early in the third quarter: Williams’ first touchdown made it 20–10, and DJ McKinney returned a Colton Joseph interception 55 yards for another score just 84 seconds later.
Jordan Faison led the Irish with 81 receiving yards, while new kicker Spencer Porath converted a 52-yard field goal and all of his kicks.
Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph passed for 217 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown to Malachi Coleman, but the pick-six effectively ended the upset threat.
Defensive tackle Jason Onye and safety Brauntae Johnson reportedly left the game early. Their conditions had not been clarified immediately afterward, making their availability the principal postgame concern.
What it means: Notre Dame’s slow, conservative first half exposed some opening-night rust, but its halftime response was emphatic. The Irish produced four long second-half scoring drives or returns, demonstrated greater offensive balance and extended their Shamrock Series record to 13–0.
Biggest storylines
The defining development was Notre Dame’s second-half transformation: a three-point game became a 28-point win through Williams’ rushing, McKinney’s defensive touchdown and Carr’s efficient finish. The 41–13 score also remarkably matched Notre Dame’s victory over Wisconsin at Soldier Field in 2021.
Across the NFL, Sunday was the calm before regular-season Week 1; the Giants, Jets and Steelers all begin their seasons next Sunday.
What’s Next
Notre Dame: vs. Rice — Saturday, September 12, 3:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock
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