Coaching connections add intrigue to No. 4 Notre Dame’s season opener with Wisconsin

The upcoming season opener between No. 4 Notre Dame and Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin brings with it intriguing coaching connections. Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman played for Luke Fickell at Ohio State and later coached on Fickell's staff at Cincinnati. Fickell, whose Wisconsin team is facing off against the Fighting Irish, acknowledges Freeman's rise to one of college football's top head coaches.

The two programs are in vastly different positions as they prepare to face each other. Notre Dame boasts a top-ranked quarterback and a formidable defensive unit, while Wisconsin, after a disappointing 2025 season, has added 27 transfers that could significantly alter their roster. Although Notre Dame is favored by three touchdowns, Freeman remains humble and acknowledges that Wisconsin's roster changes could make for an unpredictable matchup.