Will Notre Dame make easy work of Wisconsin at Lambeau Field?

It has been nine months since the College Football Playoff selection committee took the old conceit that Notre Dame always gets special treatment, wadded it into a ball and punted it into the ether.

What, you forgot already?

Quick review: The Irish were ranked No. 10 at 10-2, right behind Alabama and ahead of Miami. Alabama then got smoked in the SEC championship game for its third loss, while the Irish and Miami were idle. That’s when the committee rolled up its sleeves, cracked its knuckles, took a long swig of coffee, snuffed out its cigarette and (1) left Alabama right where it was, (2) bumped Miami up to 10 and (3) told the Irish to take a hike.

No playoff for a team most would agree was plenty good enough to do some damage, whether it truly deserved a shot at it or not.

Yes, those Irish had an all-time beef.

But this year’s team has the schedule to more than make up for it, starting with the opener at Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers.

If No. 4 Notre Dame (-20½) vs. Wisconsin (6:30 p.m. Sunday, NBC 5, 780-AM) doesn’t have the feel of a particularly daunting opening-game assignment for the Irish, it’s probably because it isn’t. Down the line come a game at North Carolina, a trip to BYU, a rematch with Miami — this time in South Bend — and a visit by SMU. That’s the hard stuff, as it looks now. If the Irish are as strong as their reputation heading into the season, they’ll be favored in every game and in most of them by double digits.

In other words, anyone rooting for the Irish’s first national title since 1988 should be embracing the mantra, “This could be the year. No, really. Yeah, I know I’ve said that at least 15 other years, but this time I mean it.”

The offense should light up scoreboards, with quarterback CJ Carr positioned to contend for the Heisman Trophy. The defense should be one of the stingiest out there, with cornerback Leonard Moore locking things down and Boubacar Traore terrorizing opposing passers.

Fun facts: Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell was Irish coach Marcus Freeman’s position coach at Ohio State, where Freeman was a standout linebacker, and Freeman later became a rising star as Fickell’s defensive coordinator at Cincinnati.

“I wouldn’t be in this position without the investment he made in me,” Freeman said this week.

Not-so-fun fact, if you’re Fickell: “Hot seat” is an understatement after seven-, five- and four-win seasons for the Badgers.

The Badgers have a dual-threat transfer QB, Colton Joseph, who rushed for over 1,000 yards at Old Dominion last season. Here’s hoping Joseph avoids the injury fate shared by each of Fickell’s last three transfer QB1s at the school, Tanner Mordecai, Tyler Van Dyke and Billy Edwards Jr.

Something to keep in mind: Freeman has been on the wrong end of more than one giant early-season upset at Notre Dame. Losing this game would add to the list.

Not happening, though. Irish, 27-14.

OTHER WEEK 1 PICKS

All games are Saturday unless otherwise noted.

Toledo (+10½) at Michigan State (7 p.m. Friday, FS1): It’s Game 1 of the rest of Pat Fitzgerald’s life, or at least the rest of his time coaching the Spartans. Fitzgerald’s Northwestern teams often were slow starters, and the early going at MSU figures to be bumpy. Opening with Toledo might be good timing, though, considering the Rockets are in major transition mode themselves. Go Green, 24-21.

Northern Illinois (+31½) at No. 22 Iowa (3:15 p.m., BTN): The Hawkeyes have all sorts of questions to answer on offense — insert wisecrack here — but NIU, with an interim coach in Rob Harley now that Thomas Hammock is busy coaching running backs in the NFL, might not offer much in the way of resistance. Huskies go down hard, 34-6.

South Dakota State (+13½) at Northwestern (7 p.m., BTN, 720-AM): Let’s see what new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly cooks up with transfer QB Aidan Chiles. Can the Wildcats amp things up on the ol’ excitement-o-meter as they near the opening of their new stadium? Watch out for the Jackrabbits, one of the powerhouse programs of the FCS. Cats sweat out a 31-21 “W.”

No. 9 Ole Miss (-6½) vs. No. 24 Louisville (6:30 p.m. Sunday, ABC 7): Nashville, Tenn., will see a heck of a show from both lightning-fast offenses, but how do you not roll with Rebels QB Trinidad Chambliss, one of the brightest stars of last season’s playoff? Score one for the SEC, 34-27.

My favorite favorite: No. 11 LSU (-10½) vs. Clemson (6:30 p.m., ABC 7): Which Tigers? Which Death Valley? No need to ask — 100,000 screaming maniacs in purple and gold will give it away. Bayou Bengals open the Lane Kiffin era with a bang.

My favorite underdog: California (+1½) vs. UCLA (9:30 p.m., ESPN): Just because Bob Chesney followed Curt Cignetti at James Madison, it definitely doesn’t mean he’s getting ready to pull a Cignetti with the Bruins. Score one for the — wait, which conference is Cal in again? — ACC.

Last season’s record: 76-30 straight-up, 53-52-1 against the spread.