Get this: Notre Dame kicks off their 2026 season this Sunday against the Wisconsin Badgers at Lambeau Field, and while the Fighting Irish currently lead the all-time series 9-6-2, you would never guess how rough things started for them against this rival. It’s wild.
The Badger Blitz That Kicked Off The Rivalry
When these two programs first duked it out way back in 1900, it was all Wisconsin. Seriously, the Badgers absolutely owned those early games. They crushed Notre Dame 54-0 in Madison on November 10, 1900, then followed it up with a 58-0 shutout in Milwaukee in 1904. The very next season? Another Badgers shutout, 21-0. And just to really twist the knife, they even battled to a scoreless tie in 1917. Think about that for a second: through the first four games in this storied series, Wisconsin held a mind-boggling 133-0 scoring advantage over the Irish. One hundred thirty-three points to zero! You gotta wonder what those early Notre Dame teams were thinking after that kind of start.
The Irish Flipped The Script, Then Went Quiet For Decades
But momentum, man, it always swings, right? Notre Dame eventually found their footing and came roaring back. They started a four-game winning streak in 1924 with a solid 38-3 victory. What followed was even more dominant: shutout victories in 1929, 1934, 1935, and 1936. Yep, the Irish didn’t allow a single point during that entire stretch! The two teams met again in the 1940s, with Wisconsin grabbing a 50-0 win in 1943, before Notre Dame retaliated with a 28-13 victory in 1944. Then came the ’60s: Wisconsin took meetings in 1962 and 1963, and Notre Dame snagged a win in 1964, which was Ara Parseghian’s first game as head coach for the Irish. And then? Poof. They didn’t play for 57 years. Talk about a rivalry on ice!
When the series finally resumed in 2021 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Notre Dame showed up ready. They absolutely dominated that game, putting up 31 straight points to cruise to a 41-13 victory. It showed how far they’ve come from those early shutout days.
This Sunday, Lambeau Field Will See More History
So now, here we are, with the 2026 season kicking off. Sunday’s game at Lambeau Field is a big deal, not just for the teams, but for the stadium itself, as it’ll be only the third college football game ever played there. Notre Dame is going into this as the heavy favorite, looking to absolutely kickstart their season with a big W. They’re facing a rival they’ve battled for over a century, and you know both sides are itching to add another chapter to this wild history book. It’s gonna be a must-watch opener.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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