The 2026 college football season opens on September 6 with a high‑profile matchup between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, ranked fourth nationally, and the Wisconsin Badgers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
A Historic Setting
This meeting marks the third time a college football game has been staged at Lambeau Field, the historic home of the Green Bay Packers, and it carries added resonance because the stadium is named after Curly Lambeau, a Notre Dame alumnus who helped found the Packers.
Notre Dame enters the game after a 2025 season that saw the team win ten consecutive games before a late‑season loss to Texas A&M and Miami, a setback that fuels its quest for a playoff berth. Head coach Marcus Freeman, who led the Irish to a national championship run in 2024, will rely on a deep roster that features a balanced attack and a defense that remained among the nation’s top units.
Wisconsin’s resurgent squad, led by head coach Luke Fickell, adds new talent in the form of former Old Dominion quarterback Colton Joseph, while its defense, long praised for its physicality, returns several key contributors under Fickell’s scheme.
The contest will be televised live on NBC, with streaming coverage on Peacock, and will feature pregame analysis from NBC Sports’ College Countdown. Play‑by‑play veteran Dan Hicks will call the action alongside analyst Jason Garrett, while former analyst Caroline Pineda makes her debut as the sideline reporter.
With both programs poised for success, the clash promises early‑season fireworks that could set the tone for a competitive Big Ten slate and reinforce Notre Dame’s pursuit of a playoff spot after missing the cut in 2025.