Notre Dame’s season opener against Wisconsin looked like a decisive 41–13 win, but the first half nearly told a different story. A blocked punt gave the Badgers a short field that produced points, and drive-killing penalties stalled Irish possessions. By halftime, Notre Dame’s lead had shrunk to just 13–10, raising real concern that routine execution errors could swing momentum. That was the moment Marcus Freeman drew a line, warning that such blunders can’t be allowed if the Irish want to chase a championship.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
“They did a good job on some man beaters, and we had bad eyes, and those are things that we continuously get because we play a lot of man,” Freeman said during his post-game press conference on September 6. “We have to continue to work on our eyes and our execution. You think of the first half — some sloppy first-half execution, including a blocked punt. We had a miscommunication with the coach call, and the punter heard certain things… we can’t allow that to happen. Then you look at the drives we didn’t sustain.”
Freeman also pointed to penalties that disrupted drives: “Those penalties had to be cleaned up, and they were in the second half.” Critical pre-snap and holding calls on offensive linemen Sullivan Absher and Anthonie Knapp stalled early possessions, while Wisconsin’s man-beater schemes exposed lapses in eye discipline.
Despite the sloppy first half, the coaching staff ironed out communication issues and adjusted blocking schemes at halftime. Freeman’s most important change was mental: he told the team to let go of pre-game expectations and stop worrying about the “leave no doubt” hype. Once the players settled down, they focused strictly on execution and stopped committing self-inflicted penalties.
The turnaround was immediate. Notre Dame’s ground game, which managed just 29 rushing yards on 16 carries in the first half, came alive after halftime. Running backs began hitting their aiming points decisively, and Aneyas Williams powered touchdowns on three straight possessions, finishing with 90 rushing yards and two scores. Quarterback C.J. Carr threw for 239 yards and two touchdowns, while Colorado transfer DJ McKinney delivered the defining moment with a pick-six that broke the game open.
Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph threw for 217 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, but the Badgers couldn’t keep pace once Notre Dame corrected its mistakes. The Irish pulled away for a 41–13 win, starting the season 1–0.
Freeman’s message afterward was clear: blocked punts, miscommunication, and penalties nearly swung momentum in the first half. Those kinds of blunders can’t be allowed if Notre Dame wants to stay on track for its championship ambitions. With this win, Notre Dame starts the season 1–0 and will next host the Rice Owls on Saturday, September 12.