Boubacar Traore and Notre Dame’s defensive front have a job to do Sunday: contain Colton Joseph. (Photo: Chad Ryan/Fighting Irish Preview)
Shamrock Series. Wisconsin. Lambeau Field. Preseason No. 4 ranking. 20.5-point favorite. But that is all on paper.
Sunday, the bullets get real.
Here are three keys to victory for the Irish against Wisconsin.
Start Fast
Notre Dame must establish the talent gap from the opening possession.
Lambeau Field provides a unique environment, and Wisconsin will be looking for something early to believe in. A slow start would give the Badgers confidence and allow them to settle into the game.
Notre Dame doesn’t need to force anything. It needs to execute.
That starts with CJ Carr getting comfortable, the Irish establishing the run and Notre Dame’s playmakers getting involved early. If the Irish put points on the board quickly, the entire complexion of the game changes.
Wisconsin would then be forced to play from behind against a Notre Dame defense that looks to be one of the best units in the country. That’s exactly where the Irish want the Badgers.
A strong opening quarter will put Wisconsin on its heels and allow Notre Dame to play the game on its terms.
Contain Colton Joseph
The biggest challenge for Notre Dame’s defense will be Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph.
Joseph arrives from Old Dominion after throwing for 2,624 yards and 21 touchdowns while adding more than 1,000 yards on the ground last season. His ability to make plays with his legs is what makes him especially dangerous.
Notre Dame cannot allow Joseph to turn broken plays into big gains. The Irish need to maintain rush discipline, close off escape lanes and force him to beat them from the pocket.
That puts the pressure directly on Notre Dame’s defensive front. Boubacar Traore and Bryce Young need to get after Joseph off the edge without running themselves out of the play. Make Joseph feel the pressure, but don’t give him an escape route.
And if Notre Dame’s defensive tackles are everything they’ve been hyped up to be throughout fall camp, it’s time for them to create some havoc of their own. Armel Mukam, we are thinking of you. You and your DT mates need to get penetration, collapse the pocket and take away Joseph’s ability to step up and run.
This isn’t simply about getting sacks. It’s about making Joseph play the game Notre Dame wants him to play.
Keep him in the pocket and good luck. Make him throw against Leonard Moore, DJ McKinney, Adon Shuler, Brauntae Johnson and a Notre Dame secondary that should have a significant advantage against Wisconsin’s receivers. And when Joseph does escape, Shuler and Johnson need to make sure a seven-yard scramble doesn’t become a 30-yard play.
Joseph is the player most capable of making this game uncomfortable for Notre Dame. The defensive front has to keep him contained, and the secondary has to clean things up when it doesn’t.
Leave No Doubt
Notre Dame enters this season with national championship expectations. That raises the standard for a game like this.
Wisconsin is coming off a 4-8 season, and Notre Dame is favored big in this one for a reason. The Irish are bigger, stronger and faster. They have more talent and more depth.
That doesn’t mean Notre Dame needs to run up the score. It does mean the Irish need to control the game, from start to finish. Avoid turnovers. Don’t give Wisconsin extra possessions. Win up front. And once Notre Dame gets control of the game, don’t give it back.
A close win would still be a win, but the Irish have much bigger goals than simply escaping Lambeau Field 1-0.
Marcus Freeman has made “Leave No Doubt” the message for this team. Sunday is Notre Dame’s first opportunity to put those words into action.
Notre Dame has spent an entire offseason hearing about what this team could accomplish. Sunday, the talking stops.
Start fast. Keep Colton Joseph in the pocket. And play like a team capable of winning a national championship.
A win is the first priority. But for this Notre Dame team, how it wins matters, too. Lambeau Field is the first opportunity to Leave No Doubt.