Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame odds, picks: Prediction, betting preview, start time for Week 1 college football game — SkimNews
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- Notre Dame opens the 2026 season ranked No. 4 in the AP preseason poll after finishing 2025 with 10 consecutive victories but missing the College Football Playoff, which prompted the Irish to refuse a bowl bid
- Wisconsin finished 4-8 in 2025 under coach Luke Fickell, who was hired after three 11-win seasons and a CFP appearance at Cincinnati but has posted only one winning record (7-6 in 2023) since
- Notre Dame is installed as a 21.5-point favorite with the Over/Under at 46.5 for the Sept. 6 kickoff at Lambeau Field in Green Bay (7:30 p.m. ET), per FanDuel
- CJ Carr returns as Notre Dame's quarterback after a strong 2025 and is described as a Heisman Trophy contender for 2026, though the Irish lost top playmakers Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price to the NFL Draft
- Colton Joseph, a transfer from Old Dominion, takes over at Wisconsin quarterback after passing for over 2,600 yards and rushing for over 1,000 with 34 total touchdowns in 2025
- The prediction is Notre Dame -20.5, citing the Irish's 10-0 regular-season finish last year — eight of those wins by at least 21 points — as evidence of a dominant margin even against a potentially improved Badgers team
Why it matters: Notre Dame's Week 1 margin against a 4-8 Wisconsin team — 21.5 points — sets the tone for an Irish season openly framed around payback for last year's playoff exclusion. Wisconsin's new dual-threat QB Colton Joseph gives the Badgers a credible offensive upgrade, but a non-cover would deepen the pressure on Fickell, who has yet to deliver a winning season in Madison.
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