Wisconsin and Minnesota are set to battle it out for Paul Bunyan’s Axe on Black Friday, kicking off a loaded rivalry weekend of college football. This will be the 134th meeting all time — and the 117th consecutive game, which makes it the longest uninterrupted series in FBS history — between the Badgers and the Golden Gophers in what has become one of this sport’s most hotly contested feuds.
Minnesota and Wisconsin are 3-3 in the series since 2018, with the road team notably winning each of the past two matchups. Minnesota has won two of its last three games in Madison, Wisconsin after losing 11 straight from 1996-2016. Though the overall record is even over the past six years, only two games in that span have been decided by one possession.
Prior to 2018, Wisconsin won a series-record 14 straight from 2004-17. The Badgers also hold a very narrow lead all-time with a 63-63-8 record. That being said, this is a big game for Luke Fickell’s squad.
After starting the year 5-2, Wisconsin has lost its last four games. It’s the program’s longest losing streak since 2008, and only the third time since 1992 that the Badgers have dropped four consecutive contests. Minnesota, meanwhile, has won four of its last six after posting a 2-3 record through its first five games.
Wisconsin vs. Minnesota: Need to know
Wisconsin’s bowl streak on the line: The Badgers have a lot to play for when they take the field Saturday. They have made it to a bowl game in 22 straight seasons, which is the third-longest active FBS streak behind Georgia (27) and Oklahoma (25). The Bulldogs and Sooners have already qualified for the postseason this year. Wisconsin hasn’t suffered a losing season since 2001 under former coach Barry Alvarez. Its 22 straight winning seasons lead the FBS. The Badgers are also trying to avoid losing five straight games for the first time since 1991.
Familiar foes on the sidelines: Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck and Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell go way back. Both were on staff at Ohio State in 2006 — Fleck was a graduate assistant and Fickell was the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach — under former Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel. Ohio State won a Big Ten title with a 12-0 regular season and went on to the BCS National Championship Game, where it lost to Florida and future Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer. Fleck spent just one season at Ohio State before moving on to become wide receivers coach at Northern Illinois, while Fickell remained on staff through the end of Tressel’s tenure and was even interim coach of the Buckeyes in 2011.
Minnesota’s dominant defense: Minnesota has won a lot of games this season behind one of the strongest defenses in the nation. The Golden Gophers are top-15 in the FBS in scoring defense (18.5 points per game), total defense (302.3 yards per game) and turnovers forced (20) this season. They have also allowed the fifth-fewest plays of at least 25 yards from scrimmage.
Freshman defensive back Koi Perich has been a huge star for Minnesota. The former top-100 prospect out of Esko, Minnesota immediately became a figurehead for Minnesota’s defense. He currently leads the Big Ten with five interceptions, which he has returned for 63 yards. He also has 34 total tackles, 1.5 for a loss, and one forced fumble through 11 games.
How to watch Wisconsin vs. Minnesota live
Date: Friday, Nov. 29 | Time: Noon ET
Location: Camp Randall Stadium — Madison, Wisconsin
TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
Streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime (Try It Free)
Wisconsin vs. Minnesota prediction, picks
The Big Ten West lives on, if in spirit only. The projected point total for this game on sports betting apps is absurdly low, and for good reason. Neither Wisconsin nor Minnesota fields what we would typically refer to as an explosive offense. In fact, the Golden Gophers have just seven scrimmage plays of 30-plus yards, which is far and away the fewest in the FBS. Meanwhile, Wisconsin is averaging just 24 points per game, which is in the bottom third of the Big Ten and ranks well below the national average. It’ll be a struggle for both teams to consistently find the end zone. — Pick: Under 43 (-108)
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