Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1546494
24 SEPT. 12, 2026 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED TURNING POINT Notre Dame's secondary showed a weakness against Wisconsin when sophomore cornerback Jayden Sanders bit on a double move and allowed wide receiver Malachi Coleman to run by him for an easy 28-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Colton Joseph early in the second quarter. The mo- ment felt too familiar to some of the big plays the Irish allowed in early-season losses to Miami and Texas A&M last season. Then Notre Dame's secondary provided a re- minder of why it was considered one of the best in the country entering the 2026 season. Cornerback DJ McKinney, a fifth-year transfer from Colorado, intercepted a Joseph pass and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown. The pick six gave the Irish a 27-10 lead midway through the third quarter and signaled a shift in the game from competitive to controlled by the Irish. Notre Dame rolled from there in a 41-13 victory at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. "It's contagious," captain safety Adon Shuler said of McKinney's interception. "One person gets it, then the next person. That's kind of how we look at the defense. Somebody's gonna make a play. It just doesn't matter who it is. You just have to be ready for your time. "DJ was ready for his opportunity, and he made the most of it." STATS OF THE GAME Junior quarterback CJ Carr completed passes to nine Notre Dame teammates: three wide receivers, three running backs and three tight ends … Notre Dame scored on all three of its offensive drives in the second half, all of which accumulated at least 70 yards … Spencer Porath's 52-yard field goal was Notre Dame's longest since Spencer Shrader hit two 54-yarders in the 2023 season and is tied for fifth- longest in program history. KIA MAKES HIS MARK Kahanu Kia started to earn playing time as a fresh- man in 2021 on special teams. After a two-year Mormon mission, an ACL injury in 2024 and a full season of special teams duty in 2025, the senior made the biggest impact of his Notre Dame career on the second Irish kickoff of the game. Kia sprinted down the field to put himself in posi- tion to recover a muffed return by Wisconsin's Har- rison Bortolotti. Kia dove on the ground and secured the football before sliding out of bounds. He gave the Irish great field position at Wisconsin's 13-yard line, which set up Notre Dame's first touchdown. Head coach Marcus Freeman pointed to Kia as a player who focuses on his role and makes the most of it. "During the week, we all want more," Freeman said. "Go earn more by the way you practice. But on Sat- urday, man, your roles have been determined. Just go clear your plate. Go get that done so we can achieve team glory. And Kahanu is a great example of that." THREE OBSERVATIONS BY TYLER JAMES LB KAHANU KIA Five years after coming to Notre Dame from Hawaii as an undersized defensive end, Kahanu Kia finally stepped into the spotlight for the Irish in what has become his impact position — a special teamer. And man, was the 6-foot-2, 228-pound senior and now backup linebacker from former Irish All- American linebacker Manti Te'o's alma mater (Punahou in Honolulu) special in that role at Lambeau Field in a 41-13 season-opening victory for the fourth-ranked Irish over Wisconsin. With the Notre Dame offense sputtering out of the gate, Kia recovered a muffed kickoff return by Wisconsin's Harrison Bortolotti at the Badgers 13-yard line, which set up a 3-yard touchdown pass from CJ Carr to Green Bay native James Flanigan. That gave the Irish a 10-3 lead late in the first quar- ter of a game in which they didn't break away until after halftime. After that freshman year in 2021, Kia missed the next three seasons — 2022 and 2023 while tak- ing a Mormon mission, and 2024 while rehabbing a torn ACL he suffered in summer workouts after enrolling with the Irish. He has only played 44 defensive snaps in his Irish career, 17 of them coming in last year's 70-7 blowout of Syracuse. But he played 141 special teams snaps in 2025 and the Wisconsin game showed just how valuable he can be. WR JORDAN FAISON The senior wide receiver was Notre Dame's most consistent offensive player, amassing 4 catches for a team-high 81 yards. His 30-yard reception in the second quarter set up a Spencer Porath 26-yard field goal with 8:53 left before halftime. It was the longest offensive play for either team, with Porath's ensuing field goal giving Notre Dame the lead for good at 13-10. CB DJ MCKINNEY Locked in a tight battle to earn the starting job at field cornerback, the Colorado grad transfer made it count against Wisconsin. Midway through the third quarter, McKinney helped transform a struggle with the Badgers into a rout with a 55-yard interception return touchdown. That gave the Irish a 27-10 lead on their way to outscoring Wisconsin in the second half, 28-3. McKinney, who played 43 out of a possible 61 defensive snaps, also broke up a pass. GAME BALLS BY ERIC HANSEN Special teams standout Kahanu Kia recovered a muffed kickoff return to set up Notre Dame's first touchdown late in the first quarter. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER