GREEN BAY, Wis. — Notre Dame looked pedestrian for a half. Then, the Irish showed why they’re among the favorites to win the national championship.No. 4 Notre Dame scored twice within two minutes to start the third quarter to turn a three-point lead into a three-possession lead and cruised to a 41-13 win against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field on Sunday night. It wasn’t perfect for Notre Dame, but it’s a win against a power-conference school. Considering the Irish dropped their season opener last year to Miami (Fla.), which ultimately cost them a College Football Playoff berth, the outcome was worth the early angst.Here are a few takeaways for Notre Dame (1-0) and Wisconsin (0-1).Why Notre Dame is the staff's prediction to win the national titleDavid UbbenDoes Notre Dame have a run game problem?Yes, losing two first-round picks at running back was always going to be an issue for Notre Dame. But the Irish were expected to have more in the way of replacements than they showed Sunday. Notre Dame’s offense missed the explosiveness of Jeremiyah Love (now with the Cardinals) and Jadarian Price (Seahawks) and couldn’t create a spark of any kind in the ground game.Notre Dame tried three different backs — Aneyas Williams, Nolan James Jr. and Kedren Young — with varying levels of ineffectiveness. None of the three averaged five yards per carry, and the Irish didn’t have a run that gained double-digit yards until the fourth quarter. Notre Dame had failed to post a double-digit-yard carry just once in head coach Marcus Freeman’s 55 games in charge: the CFP title game loss to Ohio State in January 2025.Wisconsin may be improved, but it is not a title contender.Notre Dame’s offensive line was part of the problem too, with center Ashton Craig the only starter returning at his same position. The Irish gave Styles Prescod his first career start at right guard, only to pull him for Sullivan Absher in the second half. Tackles Will Black and Guerby Lambert held up in pass protection, but Notre Dame struggled to reset the line of scrimmage most of the game.Considering how much Freeman likes to talk about the program being led by its two lines, does Notre Dame have enough on offense to help the run game find its groove? The Irish won’t face another defense as good as the Badgers’ until mid-October, so there’s time to get this sorted out. But what Notre Dame’s run game put on tape in the season opener was concerning, if not outright alarming. — Pete SampsonNotre Dame players celebrate after win over WisconsinIrish defense looks the partOther than the quarterback, the biggest reason to believe Notre Dame is a national title contender is its defense. Nothing that happened on Sunday should shake that faith. With the exception of cornerback Jayden Sanders falling for a play-action fake in the first half that turned into a 28-yard touchdown pass to Malachi Coleman, Wisconsin’s revamped offense offered little that tested Notre Dame.