Notre Dame · FBS IndependentsMarcus Freeman praises Wisconsin defense before Notre Dame opener
Freeman says Wisconsin will attack Notre Dame’s run game and create pressure off the edge Sunday, Sept. 6, at Lambeau Field.
SEP 6, 2026
The Pate State · Editorial IllustrationAhead of Notre Dame’s Sunday, Sept. 6, opener at Lambeau Field, coach Marcus Freeman praised Luke Fickell and a Wisconsin defense that plans to stop the run and attack aggressively. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
“Defensively, they're going to be sound. They're going to do everything in their power to stop the run, they're going to be aggressive,” Freeman said.
Freeman knows Fickell’s approach firsthand. He worked under Fickell at Cincinnati from 2017-20 after their time together at Ohio State. Freeman also singled out Wisconsin’s unidentified No. 8 linebacker and edge rusher Sebastian Cheeks.
“I think they got two linebackers that are really good. 8 might be as good as anyone we see this season. He's a really good player and then we obviously recruited Sebastian Cheeks years ago. He's gone on to continue to do some really, really good things and he's shown to be a problem off the edge,” Freeman said.
Notre Dame went 10-2 in 2025 and opens this season No. 4 in the AP Poll and No. 5 in the AFCA Coaches Poll. Wisconsin went 4-8, but its defense gives the Irish an immediate test: Notre Dame’s playoff résumé starts against a unit targeting its run game. Josh Pate’s preseason bracket placed Notre Dame at No. 9 in the playoff field, putting that projection under pressure from the opener.
For Notre Dame, the first question is whether its run game can get through Wisconsin’s defense.
01 · The Detail Beneath the HeadlineWhat Most People Are Missing
The schedule gives the Sept. 6 matchup a different consequence for each side. Notre Dame follows it with Rice and Michigan State before consecutive road games at Purdue on Sept. 26 and North Carolina on Oct. 3. Wisconsin gets Western Illinois and Eastern Michigan before visiting Penn State on Sept. 26. That gives the Badgers’ rebuilt roster two games between Notre Dame and its first Big Ten road test, while the Irish have three before beginning a two-game road stretch one week apart. Wisconsin can establish its defensive identity before conference play.
02 · The Open QuestionsQuestions to Be Answered
Who is Wisconsin’s No. 8 linebacker?
Freeman elevated an unidentified defender alongside Sebastian Cheeks, but Wisconsin has not named its projected defensive starters. The answer identifies the player Notre Dame’s run game must account for and clarifies whether the praise matches a starting role. Wisconsin’s announced depth chart or the opening defensive snap on Sept. 6 will provide the first concrete tell.