A dominant second-half surge at Lambeau Field saw the Irish backfield explode and the defense stifle the Badgers, fueled by standout performances from a dynamic duo.
Notre Dame kicked off its 2026 season with a convincing 41-13 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers on Lambeau Field. It was a sloppy start for the Irish, who led just 13-10 at halftime, but Notre Dame turned it up in all phases in the second half, outscoring the Badgers 28-3 in the final two quarters.
There were a number of standouts for the Irish in all three phases of the game, but several players stood out and earned Irish Breakdown players of the game honors.
OFFENSE - RB Nolan James Jr., RB Aneyas Williams
Williams Stats: 20 att., 90 yards, 2 TD - 1 catch, 11 yards
James Stats: 7 att., 19 yards, 0 TD - 4 catches, 67 yards, 1 TD
Runners Up: WR Jordan Faison, LG Anthonie Knapp
The performance of the Irish backs was indicative of the overall offensive performance. Rough first half performance but dominance in the second half. Williams and James combined for just 27 rushing yards on 11 carries in the first two quarters, and James added one catch for seven yards. There were issues with the offensive line, but the backs were also far too impatient getting downhill and they were rushing their footwork.
Things settled down in the second half, and the Irish line looked much better in the final two quarters once Sullivan Absher was inserted at right guard. The backs also showed more patience and were given more opportunities to make plays, and make plays they did. Williams and James combined for 82 rushing yards on 16 carries in the second half, and they caught four passes for 71 yards. Williams did the most work in the run game, while James made plays in the pass game.
The duo reached the end zone three times, with Williams getting into the end zone twice on the ground, and James capping off the team's scoring with a 28-yard catch-and-run score.
DEFENSE - LB Drayk Bowen, S Adon Shuler
Bowen Stats: 9 tackles, 1 TFL
Shuler Stats: 7 tackles
Runners Up: CB Leonard Moore, DT Francis Brewu, DE Bryce Young
Notre Dame's defense performed much better over four quarters than did the Irish offense. Notre Dame held the Badgers to just 13 points and 284 yards, with 47 of those yards coming on the final drive of the game after things had already been decided. There were standouts all over the field, but senior captains Drayk Bowen and Adon Shuler get the nod for the top standouts in this game.
Bowen was all over the field for the Irish, making plays in the run game and pass game. He played an aggressive downhill game, finishing with nine total tackles and a tackle for loss in the victory. Bowen was physical at the point of attack, and even when he didn't make a tackle he forced the ball carriers to bounce and into the hands of a teammate. Bowen had a two-play sequence that was indicative of his performance. On first down he shot through the gap and tackled a Wisconsin ball carrier for a 2-yard loss. On the next snap, Wisconsin tried to isolate him with an Angle route, but Bowen read it perfectly and tackled the back in space for just a 3-yard gain. His sideline-to-sideline performance was impressive.
Shuler also performed well, finishing with seven tackles in the game. He was aggressive playing downhill, and after an early miss on a read zone he was sound getting to the football. He obviously played the game with a heavy heart after losing his father earlier in the week, but the Irish captain was there for his teammates and played a key role in its season-opening victory.
Cornerback Leonard Moore was also dominant in coverage and hard one of his best career games against the run. Transfer defensive tackles Francis Brewu and Tionne Gray, linebacker Jaiden Ausberry and defensive ends Bryce Young and Boubacar Traore were also strong for the Irish.
SPECIAL TEAMS - PK Spencer Porath
Porath Stats: 2-2 Field Goals (52, 26), 4-4 Extra Points - 10 points
Note Dame seems to have solved its kicking woes with the arrival or former Purdue standout Spencer Porath. The Indiana native got Notre Dame's scoring started in the first quarter with a clean 52-yard field goal. Later, Porath drilled a 26-yard field and he made all four of his extra point attempts. It was a welcome site for a team who made just five field goals last season and ranked 130th and 128th in field goal percentage the last two seasons.
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