Irish pull away, take down Badgers at Lambeau — SkimNews
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- Wisconsin outgained Notre Dame 143-135 in first-half yards, held the Irish to 1.8 yards per rush with zero third-down conversions, yet trailed only 13-10 at halftime as three-touchdown underdogs.
- Notre Dame outscored Wisconsin 28-3 in the second half, capping touchdown drives of 70, 75, and 88 yards while the defense forced three stops.
- D.J. McKinney returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown midway through the third quarter, sealing the defensive dominance.
- CJ Carr completed 10-of-13 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown after halftime, bouncing back from a sluggish 9-of-16 first half.
- Aneyas Williams rushed for 90 yards — 72 after halftime — with two touchdowns, while Nolan James Jr. added a 28-yard TD reception as a new running back committee replacing NFL first-round picks Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price.
- Marcus Freeman noted six of his 12 losses at Notre Dame have come in August or September, including an 0-2 start last season that closed the College Football Playoff door.
Why it matters: Freeman's August/September struggles have cost Notre Dame before — last year's 0-2 start ended their CFP hopes. With new backs Williams and James stepping up after losing two first-round picks, the Irish finally cleared their early-season hurdle in a 41-13 win that doubles as a confidence template for a schedule they hope carries them back to the playoff.
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