The yearly competition for Paul Bunyan’s Axe featuring Wisconsin and Minnesota on Friday has additional implications than it typically does. Though the rivalry remains a highlight, for the Badgers this time, it’s not just about prestige; it’s a matter of survival. If they don’t come out victorious, their season ends even before the last month of the year, an unusual occurrence for the team based in Madison. In jeopardy is their impressive 22-year streak of participation in the post-season bowl game.
Should the Badgers lose, they’d wrap up the regular 2024 season with merely five victories under their belt. The requirement for securing a place in the bowl is to have at least six wins in the season. Hence, a loss for the Badgers could see them shifting gears to focus on basketball instead. The fifth victory has eluded the Badgers for a while now, surprisingly, after four failed attempts to secure the much-needed sixth win of the season.
Among those failed attempts is a glaring 44-25 setback against Nebraska on the previous Saturday. This loss was particularly disheartening and has complicated the Badgers’ road to bowl eligibility. The team has now found itself in a difficult position of being required to win their final game of the season or settle in for the basketball season.
Looking forward to the upcoming Wisconsin vs. Minnesota game, several predictions, odds and picks have been shared, courtesy of BetMGM. The odds have slightly favored Minnesota, but by a slim margin of 1.5 points over Wisconsin. The over/under (O/U) for the match is set at 40.5.
Reflecting on the Wisconsin Badgers’ 2024 football journey, let’s look at the timeline. The season kicked off with back-to-back victories – 28-14 against Western Michigan on August 30th, and 27-13 against South Dakota on September 7th. However, a wrench was thrown in their momentum on September 14th with a significant loss (42-10) against Alabama. They got some respite as the following week was a bye.
On September 28th, another setback occurred when the Badgers visited USC, losing 38-21. But hope still prevailed as the following week saw another home victory – a resounding 52-6 triumph against Purdue on October 5th. They continued their winning journey on October 12th by defeating Rutgers 42-7 on an away game. An away victory over Northwestern ensued, with a 23-3 win on October 19th.
Their winning stride halted on October 26th, when they lost their home match against Penn State with a score of 28-13. Entering November, the losing streak continued when they had a heavy defeat against Iowa, 42-10, on November 2nd. Following a bye week on November 9th, the team had another disappointing outcome – a narrow 16-13 loss to Oregon on home ground on November 16th.
Things got worse on November 23rd, when the Badgers lost an away game against Nebraska, with a score of 44-25. Their upcoming final match of the season is at home against Minnesota, scheduled for 11 a.m. on November 29th. The Badgers’ record at this point stands at 5-6 for the regular season, with a 3-5 record in the Big Ten.
In parallel, let’s evaluate the 2024 football agenda for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The season opened with a nail-biting 19-17 loss to North Carolina on August 29. However, the team rebounded on September 7th, ensuring a 48-0 victory over Rhode Island. They maintained their winning momentum with a solid 27-0 victory over Nevada the following week.
On September 21, the Golden Gophers stumbled, suffering a 31-14 loss to Iowa. A narrow 27-24 loss to Michigan followed this on September 28. But this series of mistakes didn’t define them, as they came back with a 24-17 home victory over USC on October 5th. The team’s passion and vigor led to another success on October 12th, beating UCLA 21-17 away.
The month of November witnessed more positive signs as the Golden Gophers triumphed over Maryland 48-23 at home on October 26. On November 2, they scored an impressive 25-17 away win against Illinois. But their winning streak was interrupted by a 26-19 loss at Rutgers on November 9.
On November 23, another close loss was on the cards for the Golden Gophers, losing with a margin of just one point (26-25) against Penn State. The last fixture of their regular season will see them visiting Wisconsin for a match slated to start at 11 a.m. on November 29. The Golden Gophers’ current standing is a 6-5 overall record with a 4-4 record in the Big Ten.
Paul Bunyan’s Axe Showdown: A Game of Survival for the Wisconsin Badgers appeared first on Real News Now.
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