​Apr 25, 2026; Notre Dame, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr (13) warms up before the Blue-Gold game at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images We’re less than two months away from the season opener, where the Wisconsin Badgers will take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Lambeau Field. The game is set to take place at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 6th, on NBC.It will be quite the test for the Badgers, who are coming off a rough 4-8 season, which was the team’s worst campaign since 1990. Wisconsin looked to revamp its roster in the offseason, adding over 30 new transfers, including quarterback Colton Joseph.But they begin the Year against a preseason top-five opponent who went 10-2 a season ago but missed out on the College Football Playoff. Notre Dame returns a ton of production, including quarterback C.J. Carr, who has already been placed in first-round conversations with the 2027 NFL Draft.What is the biggest question surrounding Notre Dame heading into 2026? ESPN revealed one question for every Top 25 team ahead of the season, and interestingly, Notre Dame’s was centered around Carr and whether he is ready to shoulder the load.“It was impossible to watch Carr’s development last season and not be excited for what’s ahead,” ESPN’s Andreas Hale wrote. “He often looked like a superstar, and his final season stat line — 24 touchdowns, six picks, more than 2,700 yards passing — means he’ll enter this year as one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy. But let’s throw a small dash of cold water on the hype. “Carr is losing two elite players out of his backfield, as both Jeremiah Love and Jadarian Price were selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft. Now the pressure is on Carr to carry the offense. And though the Irish don’t face a particularly daunting schedule — they won’t play a team that won more than five games until Oct. 17 — there’s also this: Carr’s stat line vs. FPI top-40 opponents last year? Four games, 48.9 QBR, 63% completions, 6.3 yards per dropback, six TD passes and five interceptions.”Notre Dame is currently an overwhelming 20.5-point favorite in that game, and that likely won’t change much ahead of Week 1.Even if the Badgers don’t win, that game will give a good litmus test for where this new-look roster stands ahead of a crucial campaign. If the offense looks better than the putrid 2025 unit, that’s a step in the right direction. Meanwhile, in Week 1, if Wisconsin’s defense looks on point, that’ll also be a strong sign moving forward.The odds are against Wisconsin in what should still be an exciting matchup at Lambeau Field. But Week 1 often provides unpredictability with how teams look to start the year.