Notre Dame didn’t lose a single game during the 2020 regular season, but they did lose some marquee matchups thanks to reworked 2020 schedule that was necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. One of those marquee games – a showdown with Wisconsin at Lambeau Field has been a bucket list item of fans from both sides ever since it was announced. According to Barry Alvarez, that game has already been rescheduled, though it is yet to be officially announced.
Alvarez said on his May 12 radio show that both Notre Dame and Wisconsin were able to move some games around in order to accommodate the rescheduling of that game at Lambeau.
Notre Dame lost games versus traditional rivals Navy, Stanford, and USC last year along with missing out on the unique opportunity to play in Lambeau Field. Those traditional rivals are back on the slate in 2021 and it sounds as though we won’t have to wait too long for that rescheduled matchup against the Badgers in the home of the Green Bay Packers.
Notre Dame fans will have even less time to wait to play Wisconsin outside of Lambeau with the Badgers on the 2021 schedule at Soldier Field in Chicago. We also learned this week that the Badgers are inexplicably the early favorite in that contest. While the Irish are replacing a lot of firepower that was lost ton the NFL, Wisconsin was just 4-3 last year in their COVID-shortened season.
Last summer, Packers president Mark Murphy said that the hope was the Notre Dame-Wisconsin game at Lambeau would be played in 2022. If that is the case, Notre Dame would add the Badgers to a schedule that already includes Stanford, USC, Ohio State, and Clemson. The 2023 schedule features the same quartet of opponents. From Notre Dame’s perspective, it would make a lot more sense for them to fit this game into the 2024 schedule.
I don’t think that Wisconsin’s being favored is inexplicable. Misguided, maybe. But the explanation is that Notre Dame
– is losing Ian Book, the “winningest QB in Notre Dame history”
– is losing four out of five of its vaunted O-line
– is probably going to have a starter who transferred to Notre Dame because because he couldn’t get playing time at Wisconsin
– doesn’t have any proven WRs
– lost key players on its defensive line
– has an unproven set of linebackers
– has a fairly weak backfield, with the exception of Hamilton, who is hurt
Of course, I don’t agree with those explanations, but they’re some of the reasons given by some pundits when they give ND a preseason ranking of 13 or so. All it shows is that Notre Dame doesn’t have a reputation for reloading yet. But I like the direction we’ve been moving in since 2016.
“Inexplicable” really is over the top delusional. Wisconsin is a tough, well-coached football team.
As far as ND’s pre-season ranking goes? “Chronic generosity” is just a lucrative business decision.
Agree bob, as usual.. By the wisconsin game the line and qb will be in sinc no matter who is qb.. If we are undefeated we win a close dogfight. If we have a loss we rout them…out of pure necessaty….since 2016 we have towed the line
David is right about Wisconsin coaches, but still in silly denial about ours. Bgc 77. 82
Inexplicably favored eh????
Should be fun.