MADISON, Wis. – The first time dire circumstances disrupted the Border Battle athletic rivalry between Wisconsin and Minnesota, there were 45 stars on the American flag, the average annual household income was $500 and the first radio broadcast of voice and music had just taken place.

It was 1906 and President Theodore Roosevelt suspended college football rivalry games due to player injuries and fatalities on the field.

It's the only time since 1890 that the Badgers didn't face Minnesota in what is the most-played series among Football Bowl Subdivision schools.

Fast forward to the 2019-20 athletic year when the global pandemic prompted the NCAA and the Big Ten Conference to cancel all winter and spring sports, including championships.

That triggered a pause in the annual all-sports Border Battle competition that began in 2004-05 and now includes 20 sports between the two Big Ten rivals.

Now that the COVID-19 crisis has run its course, and the fact that UW and the Gophers face one another on four fronts this weekend, including three sports televised nationally on Big Ten Network – men's hockey, women's hockey, women's basketball and wrestling – it seems like a good time to restart the Border Battle scoreboard.
 

Border Battle This Weekend!

• Women's Hockey: Friday, Feb. 10, 6 p.m. at Minnesota | Watch on Bally Sports North Extra
• Men's Hockey: Friday, Feb. 10, 7 p.m. at Kohl Center | Watch on Bally Sports Wisconsin Extra | Buy Tickets
• Wrestling: Saturday, Feb. 11, 1 p.m. at UW Field House | Watch on BTN | Buy Tickets
• Women's Basketball: Saturday, Feb. 11, 3 p.m. at Minnesota | Stream Live on B1G+
• Men's Hockey: Saturday, Feb. 11, 5:00 p.m. at Kohl Center | Watch on BTN | Buy Tickets
• Women's Hockey: Saturday, Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m. at Minnesota | Watch on BTN

Support the Badgers

This week, make every Wisconsin victory against Minnesota have a lasting impact for our student-athletes by signing up for Pledge Per Win!

How It Works:

• Pledge an amount for each Wisconsin vs. Minnesota victory this week (six games/matches in total)
• Cheer our women's basketball, men's hockey, women's hockey, and wrestling teams to victory
• Enhance the student-athlete experience with a donation

Here's a refresher: In the 10 sports in which the Badgers face Minnesota in head-to-head competition, 40 points are at stake. If the teams meet just once a season – football as an example – then the winner gets 40 points and the loser gets zero. If the clubs meet twice – like women's basketball – the winner of each game gets 20 points and the loser gets zero. If the schools meet four times – like women's hockey – then the winner of each game gets 10 points and the loser gets zero. If the games wind up tied, points are split evenly for each team.

Where team scoring is dependent upon tournament results for 10 sports, 40 points are awarded to the higher finishing team at the Big Ten championships.

Wisconsin currently has a 195-85 lead this season in Year 19 and the Badgers have won the last three seasons, but the Gophers have won 10 of the 18 annual competitions.