Wisconsin Badgers
Minnesota
Baggot: Five things to know - Badgers battle for The Axe
November 25, 2025 | Football
Wisconsin takes on Minnesota in border battle matchup
The Wisconsin football team will close out its 12-game season Saturday facing Big Ten Conference archrival Minnesota at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
While a Bowl berth might be a long shot for Wisconsin (4-7, 2-6), regaining custody of Paul Bunyan’s Axe would be a pretty rewarding prize in its own right. A win over the Gophers (6-5, 4-4) would also give the Badgers the lead in the longest-played rivalry in major college football, which is currently deadlocked at 63-63-8.
A victory would also continue late-season momentum as the Badgers close out 2025. They always played hard while facing the toughest schedule among Football Bowl Subdivision teams – a program-record seven were ranked in the top-25 and 10 are bowl-eligible, more than any other FBS program – and wound up knocking off the last two top-25 opponents they played at home.
UW was also overwhelmed by injuries, ultimately starting a fourth-string true freshman at quarterback, two redshirt freshmen on revamped offensive line, a variety of running backs and two other true freshmen at inside linebacker.
UW’s Big Ten season began 0-5, but a triumph Saturday would give them the same record as 2024 (3-6) and some reason for optimism going forward.
Here are five more things to know:
BADGERS, PARTY OF FOUR
Wisconsin spent its last two weekends at Camp Randall Stadium dispatching with No. 23 Washington (13-10) and No. 21 Illinois (27-10). In the process, the Badgers joined No. 2 Indiana, No. 1 Ohio State and No. 6 Oregon as the lone Big Ten teams to win two games against top-25 opponents this season.
BRINGING THE HEAT
Wisconsin is the first Big Ten team to register five quarterback sacks in three consecutive games since Penn State managed the feat in 2007. In addition, the Badgers now have four outings with five sacks this season. The last Big Ten team to do that was also Penn State in 2023.
PROVING GROUND
The Badgers have now played seven teams ranked in the top-25, equaling Florida, which is 1-6. Oklahoma (5-1) and South Carolina (0-6) played six ranked foes.
CENTURY CITY
UW has held seven opponents under 100 yards rushing – Miami (Ohio), Middle Tennessee State, Alabama, Maryland, Ohio State, Indiana and Illinois – tied for fifth most among FBS teams. By the way, that only happened once for the Badgers in 2024 (Purdue, 99 yards).
INSIDE AND OUT
Wisconsin graduate senior outside linebacker Mason Reiger ranks second in the Big Ten in quarterback pressures with 40, according to Pro Football Focus. Meanwhile, true freshman inside linebacker Mason Posa has the best grade (87.3) among freshman defenders with 200-plus snaps, according to PFF.
