7 players to watch for No. 5 Notre Dame, Wisconsin’s Week 1 opponent

MADISON – Part of what makes the Notre Dame football team so dangerous is not just its talent, but presumably its motivation.

The Fighting Irish were controversially bumped out of a berth in the College Football Playoff last season during the final weekend. They went from two spots ahead of Miami in the second-to-last CFP ranking to behind the Hurricanes for the final at-large berth even though both teams were idle the previous week.

Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua didn’t mince words at the time, saying it felt like the playoff berth was "stolen" from Notre Dame. The school quickly decided against playing in any bowl game.

Nine months later, Fighting Irish coach Marcus Freeman offered a different view of the situation.

“We didn't earn the right to play more than 12 games last year,” he said. "That's something that we've owned and we know we have aspirations to play beyond the regular season. That doesn't need to be said, but it's the reminder of what is the work that must be done to give your program a chance to play past Game 12.”

An autopsy of Notre Dame’s season, shows it hurt its chances with season-opening losses to Miami and Texas A&M.

A year later, the Fighting Irish begin the season ranked No. 5 in the USA Today US LBM coaches poll. The team is a trendy pick to make the playoff this season. For Freeman, the key to living up to that promise is to stay in the moment.

“Focus on what we have,” he said. “Leave no doubt with what you're guaranteed and that's this meeting, that's this moment, because that's how you grow. … that's when you don't create bad habits.”

Wisconsin gets first crack at the Fighting Irish in a season-opening matchup Sept. 6 under the lights at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

The challenge will be steep for the Badgers. Notre Dame returns its starting quarterback, 11 of its top-12 tacklers and its leading receiver from 2025. Plus the Fighting Irish added a transfer-portal class ranked eighth in the country by On3 and 11th by 247sports.

Here are seven Fighting Irish players to know:

Defensive tackle Francis Brewu

Francis Brewu, a Pittsburgh transfer, was a workhorse last season. The 6-foot-1, 285-pound junior played 484 snaps in 13 games, an average of 37 per contest. He made 36 tackles that included 18 solo stops, one sack, one forced fumble and two quarterback hurries.

He joins a unit that ranked 22nd nationally in total defense (313.5 yards per game) and 11th in scoring defense (17.6 ppg).

With his addition and the return of seniors Jason Onye and Elijah Hughes, defensive tackle is one of the team’s deepest positions.

Quarterback CJ Carr

CJ Carr completed 66.7% of his passes for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions as a first-year starter. The 6-2, 215-pound junior had a TD pass in each game and was interception-free seven times.

He was one of 20 semifinalists for the Davey O’Brien Award last season. This year, he is considered the country’s fifth-best quarterback by Pro Football Focus.

“He’s got total autonomy of the offense,” Notre Dame quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli said. “At the line of scrimmage, he gives you the ability as a play-caller, as an offense to have the pen last. He’s going to be able to assess the defense, get us into the call that is going to be most advantageous for us.”

Safety Brauntae Johnson

Brauntae Johnson ranked fourth on the team with 48 tackles that included 35 solo stops. His four interceptions tied the team lead and included a pick-6.

In Year 3, the 6-2, 200-pound standout brims with confidence:

“I'm still learning, so nobody's perfect, but I'm going to be in the right spots. I make game-changer plays. … To get the ball back to our quarterback. That's my job.”

Offensive lineman Anthonie Knapp

Anthonie Knapp started 27 games at left tackle for the Fighting Irish the past two seasons. His 70.9 rating by PFF was the second-best among the regulars on the Notre Dame line last season. This year, the 6-5, 305-pound junior faces the challenge of a new position. He is working at left guard, replaced at tackle by freshman Will Black.

“Oh, I don't care,” he said told the South Bend Tribune. “I'm a football player. I love football. I'm here to play football. I was a fourth-string center when I first got here, so it's whatever coach needs. He knows best.”

The 2027 Draft Hype starts now

Here’s an Average Leonard Moore play pic.twitter.com/12ocFIe1an

— SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) April 27, 2026

Cornerback Leonard Moore

Leonard Moore was a consensus All-American last season and a finalist for the Thorpe Award as the country’s top defensive back.

The 6-2, 197-pound junior intercepted five passes, broke up seven others and finished with 31 tackles that included 23 solo stops.

One of his strengths is his willingness to be pushed.

“You've just got to be intentional about what you challenge him with,” Freeman said. “Leonard's not going to struggle with the same things that maybe a freshman struggles with. …

“There's a lot of ways to challenge Leonard, and he wants that. He wants to be coached. Great players don't want to be left alone.”

Boubacar Traore is a 6-5, 253-pound defensive end. He’s out here high-pointing and housing pick sixes.

The Notre Dame defense is so loaded. pic.twitter.com/L6hecWNZ8N

— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) April 22, 2026

Edge rusher Boubacar Traore

Boubacar Traore led the Fighting Irish in tackles for loss (11) and sacks (6.5) last season. The season marked an impressive comeback for the 6-5, 253-pound senior, who suffered a season-ending knee injury five games into the 2024 campaign.

“This year, I’m trying to show way more than what I did last year,” he said told the South Bend Tribune. “I feel like last year wasn’t enough, but that was last year. It’s a new year. I feel like the best is yet to come. I’m looking to do really good things this year.”

Linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa

Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa is recovering from his second ACL injury but is expected to help the team at some point this season.

The 6-3, 234-pound junior finished 2025 tied for fourth on the team in tackles (48). Despite the injury, he made a handul of preseason All-American lists that include The Athletic and Walter Camp.

“Knee’s feeling great,” he told the South Bend Tribune. “For me, going through it the second time, I have a lot more confidence knowing that I’ve done it once. I’ve got the utmost confidence."

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 7 players to watch for No. 5 Notre Dame, Wisconsin’s Week 1 opponent