Gophers football ready to defend Paul Bunyan’s Axe in Madison on Saturday

The Gophers football team can’t win a Big Ten West title this season, but retaining Paul Bunyan’s Axe for the first time since 1993-94 would be a great consolation prize.

Minnesota is (7-4) overall and (4-4) in the Big Ten, Wisconsin is (6-5) and (4-4), both teams unachieved in 2022 but the season finale between the two rivals could feel like a championship game.

The all-time series between the two has been played 131 times, Saturday is the 74th time The Axe is on the line.

Click the video box above to hear comments from players Mariano Sori-Marin, John Michael Schmitz and Jordan Howden

When playing Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, the Gophers are 23-35-6 all time against the Badgers. Their last win in Madison came in 2018 in a 37-15 victory, P.J. Fleck’s first win against Wisconsin.

Minnesota and Wisconsin are scheduled to kickoff at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday in Madison. The game will be televised on ESPN.