Notre Dame defeated Wisconsin 41-13 on Sunday at Lambeau Field, using a dominant second half to turn a competitive game into a convincing victory.
Wisconsin started the game with confidence, opening the scoring on a 27-yard field goal. Notre Dame responded with a field goal of its own before quarterback CJ Carr connected with J. Flanigan for a three-yard touchdown to give the Fighting Irish a 10-3 advantage.
Wisconsin answered before halftime when quarterback Colton Joseph found Malachi Coleman for a 28-yard touchdown pass. Notre Dame entered halftime with a narrow 13-10 lead, leaving the game within reach for both teams.
The second half belonged to Notre Dame.
The Fighting Irish scored 28 unanswered points after halftime, beginning with a pair of touchdowns from running back Aneyas Williams. Williams finished the game with 90 rushing yards and two touchdowns, consistently helping Notre Dame control the pace.
Notre Dame’s defense also delivered a major turning point in the third quarter. Wisconsin’s Joseph threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown, extending the Irish advantage and shifting the momentum firmly toward Notre Dame.
Carr finished the game with 239 passing yards and two touchdowns without throwing an interception. Jordan Faison led Notre Dame with 81 receiving yards, while Nolan James Jr. added a receiving touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Wisconsin finished with 284 total yards and committed two turnovers, while Notre Dame produced 350 yards and did not turn the ball over.
The 41-13 final score did not reflect how competitive the opening half was, but Notre Dame’s second-half execution showed why the Fighting Irish entered the season ranked among the nation’s top teams.