Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame: 5 Things We Learned

Five Badgers Takeaways

1. Defensive Physicality

Notre Dame wants to run the football. Before the game, offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock said, “The identity for us at the University of Notre Dame is, number one, to run the football, and we’re built around a strong run game. That’s going to be who we are and what we are.”

Wisconsin’s defensive front held up well early against a talented Notre Dame offense that averaged 203.4 rushing yards per game last season. The Fighting Irish were held to 29 yards on 16 carries, just 1.8 yards per carry, in the first half.

As Wisconsin’s defense wore down, Notre Dame found more success after halftime with 82 yards on 16 carries for 5.1 yards per carry. Still, holding the Irish to 111 rushing yards for the game was an encouraging sign for a Wisconsin defense that needed to become more physical.

2. Multi-Dimensional QB

It was refreshing before the game to hear Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman talk about the athletic ability of a Wisconsin quarterback.

Old Dominion transfer QB Colton Joseph showed why.

Joseph gives Wisconsin something it hasn’t consistently had at quarterback: the ability to beat a defense with his arm or his legs. Notre Dame’s defense is loaded with future NFL players, and Joseph’s running ability forced the Irish to respect him as a threat.

Too many Wisconsin running backs in recent years have been tackled by a defensive end crashing down because there was little fear of the quarterback keeping the ball. Joseph changes that equation.

The passing game still needs improvement, but Joseph finished 19-of-30 for 217 yards with a touchdown and an interception in an encouraging Wisconsin debut. Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes can help him by moving the pocket more and getting Joseph on the move immediately after the snap.

3. Special Teams Adventures

The roller coaster that is Wisconsin special teams was on full display.

Sean West delivered a 70-yard punt that somehow rolled out of bounds at the Notre Dame 1-yard line. Channeling the Iowa Hawkeyes, it was one of Wisconsin’s best plays of the game. I can only imagine how many times Pat McAfee has watched that one on replay.

On the flip side, Harrison Bortolotti’s costly fumble on a kickoff, along with some help from a controversial replay ruling, gift-wrapped Notre Dame’s first TD.

Wisconsin will play plenty of close games this season. Special teams can’t be a weekly adventure if the Badgers expect to win those matchups.

4. Lambeau Coaching Curse

I apologize to Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur. This whole time I thought you were poorly managing the clock and not making good use of your timeouts.

Turns out Wisconsin football teams are simply cursed at Lambeau Field when it comes to clock management.

Midway through the second quarter and trailing 13-10, Wisconsin faced fourth-and-10 at the Notre Dame 36-yard line. What did Fickell do? He used a timeout and then decided to punt.

The punt went into the end zone for a touchback, putting Notre Dame at its 20-yard line. Wisconsin burned a timeout to gain just 16 yards of field position.

That’s a decision that deserves scrutiny in a game where Wisconsin entered as a heavy underdog and needed to take advantage of every scoring opportunity.

5. Malachi Coleman Is Legit

Before this game, I was excited to see what Wisconsin’s receivers could do, and Eugene Hilton Jr. and Shamar Rigby were at the top of my list.

As the famous Shaquille O’Neal meme goes, I say to Malachi Coleman: “I owe you an apology. I wasn’t really familiar with your game.”

Coleman ran a beautiful double move for a 28-yard TD in the first half and finished with four catches for 76 yards. He showed the ability to release quickly off the line and run a variety of routes.

Wisconsin entered the season needing someone to emerge in a wide receiver room filled with new faces. Coleman made a strong case Sunday night that he can be that guy.

Closing Thoughts

There are no moral victories for Wisconsin after a 28-point loss, but Badger Nation can take away some encouraging signs from the performance against a top-five opponent.

Up next are Western Illinois and Eastern Michigan, two non-conference opponents Wisconsin should handle comfortably. The red flags in previous seasons came when the Badgers struggled to put away teams they were expected to dominate, including Miami (Ohio) in 2025 and South Dakota in 2024.

Fickell and the Badgers put enough on tape against Notre Dame to give fans some hope. Now they need to show that progress against teams they are supposed to beat.