Notre Dame Opens 2026 Title Bid Against Wisconsin

Notre Dame opens the 2026 college football season Sunday night against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field, entering the matchup ranked No. 4 and widely viewed as a national championship contender. The Fighting Irish hope to erase last season’s painful start, College Football Playoff snub and fallout from opting out of a bowl game. The season opener will also honor former coach Lou Holtz, who died in March and led Notre Dame to its most recent national title in 1988. Coach Marcus Freeman has embraced Holtz’s influence while carrying heightened expectations around quarterback CJ Carr, a strong defense and a program determined to end its long championship drought. The game also carries personal emotion for Notre Dame, including senior captain Adon Shuler playing after his father’s death and Freeman facing Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell, a former mentor in his coaching lineage.