DJ McKinney scored on a pick-six to ignite a 28-3 second half blitz as Notre Dame defeated Wisconsin by 41-13 at Lambeau Field. Aneyas Williams ran for two scores and CJ Carr threw for two more as the Irish dominated after intermission. The Badgers played physical, inspired football before an equally divided crowd but could not keep pace throughout the evening.

Notre Dame took the second half kickoff nursing a 13-10 lead and finally started to roll. Williams capped a methodical scoring drive to give them breathing room at 20-10. Wisconsin tried to answer but disaster struck. Quarterback Colton Joseph overthrew a sideline pass and McKinney was off to the races in a convoy of teammates. His 55-yard score pushed the lead to 27-10 and the air went out of the Badger balloon. The Irish added a pair of long touchdown marches in the fourth quarter to ice the game. Meanwhile, the defense held the Badgers to a mere field goal.

The Irish were sluggish in the first half as the game settled into a defensive battle. Fans groaned when Notre Dame committed a false start on their first offensive play and failed to advance. Things got worse as the Badgers partially blocked the ensuing punt and turned it into three points. Notre Dame could not run the ball effectively and Carr’s passes often fell incomplete. The teams traded touchdowns a few minutes apart midway through the first half. Carr hit Wisconsin native James Flanigan with a short scoring toss and Joseph answered minutes later. His 28-yard pass to Malachi Coleman came on a beautifully executed play-action fake and double move. I wish Notre Dame would copy that and put it in its playbook.

A few additional observations:

• The timing between the offensive linemen and running backs was out of synch in the first half. Williams was not patient in finding holes and simply surged into the line instead of reading his blocks. Both Williams and the linemen improved in this area after intermission.
• Sullivan Absher made a positive difference at guard in both the run and pass game. His pass blocking enabled the running backs to get downfield and make catches for important gains. Kedren Young also looked healthy and strong.
• Nolan James is a smooth and elusive runner who should get more opportunities as the season progresses.
• Notre Dame’s tackling was excellent throughout the game. Adon Shuler was a monster on the back end. The secondary and linebackers prevented Joseph’s dink and dunk passes from becoming bigger plays.
• Carr was more disciplined in the pocket but still threw a couple of near interceptions in the flat.
• The defensive line was disciplined in maintaining its rush lanes and preventing long scrambles by Joseph.
• Leonard Moore proved he could tackle as well as shut down passes thrown his way.
• The aggressive Irish corners love to jump sideline routes but were victimized twice by double moves.
• On kickoff returns, I would rather see one of the faster freshman backs win the job. Williams is fearless but he is not a threat to break one.
• Several guys played well besides Shuler, Moore, Absher, McKinney, Faison, and James. I noted Bryce Young, Francis Brewu, Tionne Gray, and all the linebackers and tight ends.

Let’s review the answers to our pregame questions:

• Will Notre Dame contain Joseph and force him into mistakes? Joseph got the ball out quickly to the short zones, with limited success. His scrambling ability did not hurt the Irish and move the chains. His one big mistake turned into a Notre Dame touchdown.
• Which new Irish playmakers emerge at tailback and receiver? Other than James, I was disappointed in the non-usage of Greathouse and Graham. Carr utilized the tight ends more effectively though.
• Will Carr demonstrate improved decision-making and passing accuracy? Carr managed the game well and generally used good judgment. His accuracy was fair to good. There is still room for improvement.
• Which team will maintain an effective balance on offense? Wisconsin had slightly better balance in the first half but Notre Dame had a great second half.
• Will the Irish special teams make a statement? They made several but not all were positive. The blocked punt and kickoff out of bounds were inexcusable. On the other hand, it is nice to see a 52-yard field goal sail through the uprights.
• Can Notre Dame’s deep defensive line live up to its lofty expectations? They clogged up the running lanes for the most part and let the linebackers make tackles. Fans wanted more sacks but Joseph’s running ability and quick passes dictated a different approach. Note that the sacks came at the end of the game when the running threat disappeared. Thirteen points allowed with only one explosive play speaks for itself.
• Will Notre Dame’s secondary catch more passes than the Badger receivers? No, but those units had the same number of touchdown receptions.
• Can the Irish demonstrate competency with the Lambeau Leap? Shuler led the charge into the student section with Drayk Bowen and others right behind him.

Notre Dame’s victory in this special environment should take the edge off future performances. There were obvious nerves at first but the coaches ensured that no one panicked. I will be interested to see how the offense evolves toward reaching its potential. The Irish have several potential playmakers that should gain confidence as the next few weeks unfold. Carr’s experience and leadership are important factors in making this happen. With this opening act behind them after nine months, I imagine they cannot wait until Saturday to play again.