An 0-2 start in 2025 resulted in Notre Dame missing out on the College Football Playoff, and the Fighting Irish are looking to avoid another slow start in 2026. They kick off their 2026 college football season against Wisconsin on Sunday, Sept. 6 at Lambeau Field. The Badgers finished 4-8 in 2025, so coach Luke Fickell needs to get things right in 2026 after he was hired amid high expectations for Wisconsin after his strong run at Cincinnati.
Notre Dame enters 2026 ranked fourth in the AP preseason poll after finishing last season with 10 consecutive victories. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Notre Dame and more college football games with the FanDuel promo code to receive bonus bets: The Fighting Irish are 21.5-point favorites in the latest FanDuel Sportsbook odds, and the Over/Under for total points scored is 46.5.
The Irish refused a bowl bid after winning 10 straight to wrap up 2025 then being left out of the CFP, while the Badgers only won two conference games and will be trying to move up the pecking order in a crowded Big Ten. If you're interested in betting on college football games like Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame on the best betting apps, make sure to check out our picks for this matchup.
And also be sure to see what SportsLine experts and the SportsLine Projection Model have to say. These teams are entering 2026 in very different situations. The Irish were almost certainly one of the 12 best teams in the country last year, but losses to Miami and Texas A&M -- who both reached the College Football Playoff -- kept Notre Dame out of the postseason.
The frustration was evident, as the Irish opted not to participate in a bowl game. They enter the 2026 season as the No. 4 team in the country and as a team that many believe have a chance to win the national championship. Notre Dame lost its top playmakers on offense to the NFL Draft in Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, but quarterback CJ Carr was one of the best passers in the country in 2025 and should be a Heisman Trophy contender in 2026.
The Badgers have a lot of work to do to right the ship. Fickell was hired to great fanfare after a tenure at Cincinnati that included three 11-win seasons and a CFP appearance. His best season in Wisconsin was 7-6 in 2023, and the Badgers have missed out on a bowl game each of the last two years.
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