Notre Dame Dominates Wisconsin in Second Half Rout at Lambeau Field
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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are officially off and running in 2026.
No. 4 Notre Dame defeated Wisconsin 41-13 Sunday night at Lambeau Field, turning what was a competitive game at halftime into a dominant second-half performance. The victory gives the Irish a statement win to open the season and immediately puts the rest of the country on notice.
Wisconsin Keeps It Close Early
The Badgers came out ready to compete in the historic matchup.
Wisconsin and Notre Dame traded field goals early before the Irish finally found the end zone. A Wisconsin kickoff fumble gave Notre Dame excellent field position, and CJ Carr connected with James Flanigan for Notre Dame’s first touchdown of the night.
Wisconsin answered with a touchdown from Malachi Coleman, but Notre Dame took a 13-10 lead into halftime.
At that point, the game still appeared to be up for grabs.
Notre Dame Takes Over
Everything changed after halftime.
Notre Dame’s offense began finding its rhythm, while the defense started making game-changing plays.
Aneyas Williams broke through for a touchdown run following a 70-yard drive, extending the Irish advantage. Shortly afterward, DJ McKinney returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown, turning the game into a blowout and giving Notre Dame a 27-10 advantage.
Williams added another rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter before Carr connected with Nolan James for another score late in the game.
What had been a three-point game at halftime had completely turned into a Notre Dame showcase.
Carr and the Defense Deliver
Carr didn’t need to put up enormous numbers because Notre Dame’s balanced attack and defense handled the rest.
The Irish quarterback made the important throws when needed, while the ground game consistently created opportunities in the second half.
Defensively, Notre Dame showed why it entered the season with enormous expectations. The pick-six was the biggest play of the night, but the Irish defense consistently made life difficult for Wisconsin’s offense.
A Statement at Lambeau
Playing at Lambeau Field added even more significance to the victory.
Notre Dame entered the season ranked No. 4 and carrying legitimate College Football Playoff expectations after returning a large amount of production from last season.
The Irish didn’t have a perfect first half, but they showed the ability to adjust and completely take over after halftime.
Notre Dame leaves Lambeau Field with a 41-13 victory, a 1-0 record and plenty of momentum. If the second half was any indication, the Fighting Irish are going to be a major problem in 2026.
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