Just saw Notre Dame sitting at No. 4 in the 2026 recruiting rankiings and I cannot help but think about the 1993 game at Camp Randall when we punched them right in the mouth and sent them home with a loss. We had nobody that anybody recruited. We had a bunch of Wisconsin farm kids who wanted to hit somebody. That is what made that rivalry special. It was not about who had the most stars next to their name. It was about who wanted it more.
Now we are supposed to get excited about hosting a Notre Dame game this fall and I want to be. I really do. But the whole thing feels different when you know their roster is filled with kids who picked them for the NIL bag and our roster is filled with kids we hope develop. Back in the 1994 season we went to the Rose Bowl with a bunch of walk-ons and two-star recruits who played like their hair was on fire. That is the Wisconsin way. That is what made the rivalry with Notre Dame mean something. It was about culture and toughness not a recruiting ranking.
I will be there Sunday evening wearing my red and watching our boys hit somebody. But I miss when this game was about pride not paychecks.