Fickell: Wisconsin won't shy away from Notre Dame CB Moore

Wisconsincoach Luke Fickell views the season opener against No. 4 Notre Dameas a chance to close the gap with top competition, which involves not avoiding star players such as Fighting Irish All-America cornerback Leonard Moore.

Fickell and Wisconsin's offensive assistants aren't limiting the plan for the passing game because of Moore, whose ability to make things difficult on opposing wide receivers and cornerbacks is well-known. Wisconsin and Notre Dame meet Sunday night at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

"We've got to not think that we can't go that direction," Fickell said. "I'm not saying he's not the best in the country. I'm not saying he's not a top-2, 3 [NFL draft] pick in the country. But the idea is you've still got to be able to run your offense. The thing that I love about what it is that we do is, we make people do everything, so he'll have a chance to prove that he's the best in the country."

Moore has seven interceptions and 18 pass breakups in his first two college seasons and was a Jim Thorpe Award finalist last season, while appearing on preseason watch lists for multiple national defensive player of the year awards this year.

Wisconsin is coming off of consecutive losing seasons, impacted by early quarterback injuries. The Badgers are turning to Old Dominion transfer Colton Joseph, the 2025 Sun Belt Player of the Year, to lead the offense against Notre Dame.

"Game 1, we've got to be able to run our offense," Fickell said. "This is a challenge, not only to the entire offense, this is a challenge to the wideouts. Evetybody's got the goal and the dream to play at the next level. Well, you're going to go out there and face, not just in particular there at the corner position, but you're going to face a lot of NFL players. There's no better way to measure ourselves."

Fickell acknowledged that ideally Wisconsin would have a "preseason" type game to assess players and units but has embraced the chance to face a national title contender right away.

"We're going to find out where we are in closing that gap," Fickell said. "If they're really the No. 1 team or No. 2 team or No. 3 team, the odds-on favorite to be the national champ, whatever, we're going to find out real quick what gaps there were in what we're seeing and where we are."