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. ET in Green Bay, Wis. Bet on Wisconsin vs. 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.
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Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame betting odds (via FanDuel)
| Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame money line: | Notre Dame -2200, Wisconsin +1100 |
| Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame over/under: | 46.5 (Over -110, Under -110) |
| Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame spread: | Notre Dame -21.5 |
Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame betting preview
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. Offense was a major issue for the Badgers last year, and they hope transfer quarterback Colton Joseph can lead the way to more points in 2026. Joseph shined at Old Dominion last year, passing for over 2,600 yards and rushing for over 1,000 with 34 total touchdowns. Use the BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS to get bonus bets when wagering on Wisconsin-Notre Dame and more college football games:
Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame picks, prediction
Notre Dame -20.5
I'm not sure if there's a more motivated team in all of the land than Notre Dame right now. The Fighting Irish were snubbed from a CFP appearance last year, and they certainly had the talent to make a deep run. After being skipped over, the Irish begin their revenge tour against Wisconsin at historic Lambeau Field in what's effectively a home game for the Badgers.
Now, I think Wisconsin will be much better off in 2026 than the team was in 2025, thanks in large part to Joseph's presence at quarterback. He's an elite dual-threat option who raises both the floor and ceiling of this Wisconsin offense. However, I'm not sure if Joseph alone will be able to help Wisconsin keep this game competitive for a full 60 minutes.
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Notre Dame is a massive money line betting favorite, and as such, there's really not any value in backing the Irish straight up. Instead, we'll look at the spread betting line, which sits at 20.5. That's a big number, to be sure, but Notre Dame is going to be on a mission this year, and the Irish are out to prove a point. After starting 0-2, the Irish won 10 in a row to conclude the regular season last year. It should be noted that of those 10 wins, eight came by at least 21 points, and all were by double-digit margins. Carr operated this offense at a high level, and Marcus Freeman is one of the best developers of talent and masters of roster building that the sport has. All of that should be on full display at Lambeau Field on Sunday.
