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 as a 21.5-point favorite over Wisconsin at Lambeau Field on Sept. 6 (7:30 p.m. ET), with the over/under set at 46.5.
- Notre Dame enters 2026 ranked No. 4 in the AP preseason poll after finishing last season with 10 consecutive victories, only to be left out of the CFP — losses came against Miami and Texas A&M, both of whom made the playoff — prompting the Irish to refuse a bowl bid.
- QB CJ Carr is positioned as a Heisman Trophy contender in 2026 after starring as Notre Dame's passer in 2025, though the Irish lost top playmakers Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price to the NFL Draft.
- Wisconsin finished 4-8 in 2025 under coach Luke Fickell, whose best season in Madison has been 7-6 in 2023, with the Badgers missing a bowl in each of the last two years after Fickell's hiring from Cincinnati.
- Transfer QB Colton Joseph — who passed for 2,600-plus yards and rushed for 1,000-plus with 34 total touchdowns at Old Dominion in 2025 — is Wisconsin's primary offensive upgrade heading into the season.
- Eight of Notre Dame's final 10 wins in 2025 came by at least 21 points and all by double-digit margins, supporting the model's pick of Notre Dame -20.5.
Why it matters: For Notre Dame, the Lambeau opener launches a national title push after last year's CFP snub — despite winning 10 straight — with Heisman contender CJ Carr leading an offense coached by Marcus Freeman. For Wisconsin, transfer QB Colton Joseph's 34-TD production at Old Dominion offers a real offensive upgrade, but a 21.5-point spread signals bettors don't expect it to matter in Week 1.
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