College Football Picks: Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin Best Bets
Notre Dame heads to Lambeau Field in Wisconsin with the hope of getting off to a better start this year than it did last year. If you recall, Notre Dame dropped its first two games of the season this past year, and those losses ended up being the difference between getting the final playoff spot and being left out. It didn't help that one of those losses came to a Miami team that was also in the hunt for the final playoff spot. Wisconsin, meanwhile, is hoping to turn things around under coach Luke Fickell, who is off to a rough start as the Badger HC.
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Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin Betting Odds for Week 1
Spread: Notre Dame -20.5 (BetMGM); Wisconsin +21 (BetRivers)
Total: Over 46.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook); Under 47 (BetRivers)
Moneyline: Notre Dame -1400 (BetMGM), Wisconsin +1100 (Caesars Sportsbook)
The line opened around 17.5 and moved to 20.5 before holding steady there. There are some spots where you can get a little bit of a discount on Notre Dame, but I haven't seen anything higher than 21. The total has dropped a point since it opened.
Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin Betting Picks for Week 1
Big things are expected in South Bend this season, and if the Fighting Irish are to meet their goals this season, they have to win this game. Sure, there's probably a little leeway if they were to lose this game, but as they found out this past year, even losses early in the season can play a big role in the committee's eyes.
This is a neutral-site game, but there's little doubt that the Badgers will have the edge in the stands. With that said, it's not a true home game for Wisconsin, so there's not quite as much of an edge as you'd think.
Notre Dame was a complete team this past season, and by all accounts, they look to be a similar team this year, if not just a little better on both sides. The defense was very strong this past year, and that should again be the case this year. On offense, the Golden Domers lost two key pieces in Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, and while they both were dynamic running backs, it seems like RB is one of the easier spots to reload in college football.
Wisconsin was a total mess on offense last year, and only time will tell if the Badgers were able to address that gaping hole. The defense was a different story as that unit was able to hold up against some stiff competition in the Big Ten last year.
Wisconsin tends to be scrappy at home, and while this game isn't in Madison, I think the Badgers will get a boost from the crowd at Lambeau Field. Notre Dame, however, is fully aware of what a slow start to the season could do to its playoff hopes, so they'll be ready to not only win this game, but win it in style. There are only two games being played on Sunday night this week, so a lot of eyes will be on Notre Dame this week. Considering how things ended last season, I'm sure the 'Irish will be looking to impress early on.
While both teams enter with a lot of question marks on offense, they both seem settled on the defense, so I'm leaning towards the under as the best play in this game.
Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin Expert Pick: Under 47 (BetRivers)
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Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin Predictions for Week 1
As mentioned above, I'm expecting this game to be a bit of a rock fight. Both teams have questions on offense, and while Notre Dame should be able to adjust to its new personnel out of the gate, it's not like there is an easy opponent on the other side this week. As bad as the Badger offense was this past season, the defense showed up almost every week.
This game should get off to a slow start, with both teams playing conservatively to start as they feel out the other team's defense. This might go on for the entire first half, as I don't see either team doing much on offense to start the game.
At some point, the Notre Dame offense will get going, perhaps aided by a Badger turnover and the 'Irish will get some separation. Will it be enough to cover this line? I'm not sure of that, but I am pretty sure that Wisconsin isn't going to score many points, so unless Notre Dame goes nuts, this game should stay under.
Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin Player Props for Sunday, September 6th
Colton Joseph, QB, Wisconsin Under 151.5 passing yards (FanDuel)
I don't believe that the Badgers will be as bad on offense as last season because, well, how could they be, but I also don't think that we'll see much from the offense out of the gate due to the matchup. This number is incredibly low, but if this game turns into a slog, then I expect the Badgers to keep it on the ground as much as possible .
Aneyas Williams, RB, Notre Dame Over 100 rushing yards +120 (BetMGM)
Again, this is more of a prediction on how this game will play out as I'm expecting a lot of rushing attempts on both sides. Wisconsin brings a stout defense, but I'm expecting Notre Dame to utilize the run game a lot and Williams is the clear lead back at the moment.
