Is this rivalry a real thing?
For the first time in this summer rivalry series, I can say definitively: good god yes, these fuckers hate each other. We may have led off with lackluster (hi, MSU/PSU week) or nonexistent (hello, Maryland/Rutgers week) rivals, but this one is the real deal. This remains the longest-running FBS rivalry in existence. They've done this thing every year since 1890 and for 135 years in total. It's an institution. They also have a penchant for tying, which I explored many years ago elsewhere but also linked here.
Where'd you two come from again?
They're both OG. No newbies, no bandwagoners, no TV contract chasers here. Minnesota and Wisconsin are both charter members of this Bee One Gee affair from 1896 onward. Please note that the rivalry dates back further than the creation of the Big Ten. It's a Thing, capital T intended. They've been here since the before the jump. God knows they'll be doing their damn thing long after.
You folks got a trophy or some hardware?
Good news! There are several! Minnesota and Wisconsin currently fight over the Paul Bunyan's Axe, which began its life in 1948 and continues to be one of the more badass college football trophies out there. But before that, these nortbound colleges battled over the Slab of Bacon, which was "lost" in 1943. And by lost, we mean the Wisconsin athletic department stole it, hid it, and subsequently actually lost it somewhere in a locker room. That's how you do college football rivalry trophies: lore, legend, subterfuge, and outright and blatant theft.
Let's get to some numbers. What's the series win-total look like?
Currently? It's sitting at 64 Minnesota, 63 Wisconsin, 8 ties. You might think that seems close! Indeed! I'd advise you to hit this (self-serving) link for more about the Wisconsin-Minnesota rivalry series. Can't separate these two for anything. Think about that for a second. If Wisconsin wins this year, they'll have played for 136 games spanning over half of this country's history. And the overall series will remain dead fucking even. It's astounding. It's totally absurd. It's often fought in the snow and cold of the Upper Midwest. It's the Axe. Let's get to Axe Week.
