Minnesota Vs. Wisconsin - Axe Week - Media Predictions

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Gophers on SI takes Minnesota, 18-15
Minnesota has severely struggled against the pass in all of its games against Power Conference opponents outside of the Nebraska and Iowa showdowns. Facing a team like Wisconsin could be exactly what this struggling defense needs.

Drake Lindsey looked like he had re-found some confidence last week against Northwestern, and I think Minnesota's offense could have some success against the Badgers. These are two evenly matched teams and a huge game for both sides, despite less-than-stellar records.

I expect the Gophers to do just enough to finish the 2025 regular-season with a win over their rival.

College Football News picks Minnesota, 16-13
The Gophers' best quarter is the second, scoring 105 points so far this year.

It won't be anything pretty early on. If you enjoy points, this won't be for you.

Both teams will trade punts, and all efforts by Minnesota to come up with a few crisp early drives will go wrong.

It'll come down to a quirky play and several late defensive stops, but Minnesota's run defense will hold up enough to keep the Axe.

KNUP Sports goes with Minnesota, 27-17
Minnesota comes into this game with a strong home record of 6-0, demonstrating their reliability at Huntington Bank Stadium. Their track record as a favorite is equally impressive, winning 11 out of their last 13 games. This consistency at home gives them a favorable edge against Wisconsin.

Wisconsin has struggled on the road this season, with a 0-4 record, suggesting they might face challenges in Minneapolis. The Badgers’ offensive struggles, ranking low in both passing and rushing yards, further diminish their chances of covering the spread.

Minnesota’s defense, ranked high in sacks and interceptions, can capitalize on Wisconsin’s weaknesses.
 





Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0 said:
Let's hope they see something that many here are missing, self included.
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Sconnie has played better of late and their D looks solid but their offense is not good. IF (and it is a massive massive IF after last week) our defense can play well we should be able to scrape together enough points to get the W.
 


Picks and Parlays sides with Minnesota, 28-17
Minnesota is a better team in this matchup and will finish the season on a high note with a win against Wisconsin. Look for the Golden Gophers to do the work on both sides of the ball against a lackluster team, leading to a victory. Take Minnesota this week to get the win and cover at home as they pick up their seventh victory of the season to close the year.
 



I hope they can win, but I don't see it. Unless they get up and come out hot just because the fact it's the Badgers.
I believe they(Badgers) are a better team and if we had played their schedule this season, our record would be similar or maybe even worse.

Hate to be so negative, but.....

Hope I'm wrong but I see it as WI-35, MN-14. They likely murder us, steal the axe, get momentum going into the offseason. Meanwhile, we go to a bowl game that shouldn't even exist, play a team that should be in division 2, beat them 21-17 and celebrate PJ's bowl record.
 

I don't blame people for picking Wisconsin but LOL at predictions of 35 plus points. Carter Smith has more rushing attempts than passing attempts. This is a slightly better version of who we saw in week one in Buffalo, strong front seven that's suspectable through the air and an offense that needs smoke and mirrors to be explosive. They'll probably connect one and a couple field goals this should be a 24-13 win in similar fashion
 

Go Gophs said:
I hope they can win, but I don't see it. Unless they get up and come out hot just because the fact it's the Badgers.
I believe they(Badgers) are a better team and if we had played their schedule this season, our record would be similar or maybe even worse.

Hate to be so negative, but.....

Hope I'm wrong but I see it as WI-35, MN-14. They likely murder us, steal the axe, get momentum going into the offseason. Meanwhile, we go to a bowl game that shouldn't even exist, play a team that should be in division 2, beat them 21-17 and celebrate PJ's bowl record.
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The Deliberate Stranger said:
I don't blame people for picking Wisconsin but LOL at predictions of 35 plus points. Carter Smith has more rushing attempts than passing attempts. This is a slightly better version of who we saw in week one in Buffalo, strong front seven that's suspectable through the air and an offense that needs smoke and mirrors to be explosive. They'll probably connect one and a couple field goals this should be a 24-13 win in similar fashion
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Gopher defense is that bad thats why you're seeing 35 plus points.
 

Pick Dawgz sees a Minnesota win
I’m not running to the window to back either of these underachieving teams that can’t string together offense. However, somebody has to win. If forced to pick, I’d lean Minnesota at home on senior night with 25 seniors.

Wisconsin hasn’t won back-to-back games since the first two weeks of the season, and it hasn’t won a road game since October of last year. Minnesota hasn’t lost at home this season. Pick ’em spot between two bad teams, I’ll give the edge to the Gophers at home.

Cappers Picks sides with Minnesota, 21-14
Given Minnesota’s perfect home record this season, they have a strong chance to secure a win. Additionally, Wisconsin has struggled on the road, which makes Minnesota the safer pick.
 


I think it will be a close game decided by one score. Feels like a game one team is going to lose it more than the other team wins it. I’ll go Gophers 13, Wisconsin 10.

For next season, who needs this win more for momentum purposes? PJ or Fickell?

mikefarrellsports.com

Lose the Axe to Minnesota, Lose the Faith in Fickell

The Paul Bunyan Axe game may decide Luke Fickell’s Wisconsin future as the Badgers battle for momentum, key recruits and a stable path forward after a wild 2025 season.
mikefarrellsports.com mikefarrellsports.com
 


Sports Chat Place is going with Minnesota
Minnesota has more wins than Wisconsin this season and has been undefeated in its 6 home games. On the flip side, Wisconsin has been winless in its four road games and are just 2-7 in their last 9 games. They also have the second-worst offense in the entire country, so they shouldn’t be favorited on the road in this spot. I like the value with the home dog in this matchup.

Sports Gambler backs Minnesota, 24-17
It’s time to side with Minnesota to record a victory over Wisconsin. They should have the upper hand … Minnesota has reeled off six straight victories at Huntington Bank Stadium. They have a 8-2 record in their last 10 home games, putting up 30.50 points on average and giving up 18.10.

Scores and Stats picks Wisconsin, 24-20
Rivalry games often throw logic out the window, but recent performances and matchups point toward a tight, low-scoring affair. Wisconsin’s defensive front is playing its best football of the year, while Minnesota’s offense has found some rhythm behind a rising quarterback.

Still, Wisconsin’s ability to generate pressure, control the clock with its run game, and limit explosive plays gives them the edge in a grind-it-out Big Ten battle.

Winners and Whiners sides with Wisconsin
The Badgers are playing better football at this point and while they don't have a lot to play for, they are playing their best football in the season. Minnesota is playing their worst football, having defeated a poor Michigan State team on Nov. 1 by just three at home.

Linsdey is a good passer, but it won't be easy to throw in that weather. The Badgers have covered their last four games, and their offense will show up against a defense that has been falling apart, partially due to injuries.
 

Couple more before the game -

The Star Tribune has Minnesota winning 20-17
Two Key Match-Ups:
Wisconsin RB Darrion Dupree vs. Gophers LB Maverick Baranowski: Dupree, a sophomore, made the most of his opportunity Saturday by rushing 17 times for 131 yards and two TDs, including an 84-yard TD run. The 5-10, 212-pounder will challenge Baranowski, the Gophers’ leading tackler who becomes even more important if Devon Williams misses a second game in a row.

Wisconsin LT Riley Mahlman vs. Gophers DE Anthony Smith: Mahlman, a senior and Lakeville South graduate, moved from right tackle to left tackle because of a teammate’s injury and has been steady, earning a solid 74.2 pass-blocking rating from Pro Football Focus. He’ll likely see a lot of Smith, who leads the Big Ten with 10½ sacks.

One stat that matters:
20 | Score 20 points, and you’ll likely win this game. In each of the past eight meetings, the winning team has reached 20 points or more and the losing team has fallen short of 20.

Prediction:
This is a matchup of teams looking to take out some frustrations. For Wisconsin, a second consecutive losing season doesn’t sit well with its fan base. For the Gophers, it’s a November swoon they want to end before it does more damage.

Minnesota is 6-0 at home, and a lot will ride on how well its defense can recover from the debacle at Wrigley. Look for Lindsey to continue developing his connection with Tracy and for the defense to do just enough.

The Pioneer Press backs Minnesota, 17-16
Minnesota Offense Vs. Wisconsin Defense: The Badgers’ defense is more stout against the run (3.3 yard per carry; 21st in nation) than the pass (7.9 per attempt; 111th in country). Minnesota has been slightly better through the air and will likely need to hit on a handful of explosive plays to win as a slight home underdog. Edge: Wisconsin

Minnesota Defense Vs. Wisconsin Offense: The Badgers are on their fourth QB this season, and true freshman Carter Smith has not been lighting it up. He had 98 yards, one TD and one INT in a 31-7 loss to No. 2 Indiana, and 75 yards without a pick or TD against Illinois. Edge: Wisconsin

Special Teams: Denaburg’s big leg on kickoffs should keep it away from Vinny Antony II, who had a 95-yarder vs. Alabama. … Wisconsin’s Nathanial Vakos is 7 for 11 on FGs this season. Edge: Minnesota

Prediction: The Badgers are on the upswing, the Gophers swooning. Minnesota’s defense has been unreliable lately, but Wisconsin’s offense has plodded most of the year. The U offense continues to struggle to run the ball, and stopping it is a Badgers strength, but Lindsey should be able to make a few more plays through the air to win it.

Action Network picks Wisconsin to win
One team enters this contest on the upswing, and the other enters losers of two in a row and in bad form. I'm rolling with the team that has found something in recent weeks in Wisconsin. I don't see really any paths to success for the Minnesota offense against a Badger defense that's clicking on all cylinders right now.

Yes, it's not pretty on the offensive side of the ball for UW, but it may not need more than 10-14 points to win this one. I expect the Badgers to have plenty of motivation to end their season with another victory and carry that momentum into next year with Fickell returning. Give me Wisconsin to pick up the victory and take back Paul Bunyan's axe.

Gopher Illustrated (247 Sports) sides with Minnesota, 20-16
For whatever reason, when Minnesota plays at Huntington Bank Stadium this fall, they have a horseshoe stuck in places I cannot write about. Seemingly, when they need to make a play or have a ball bounce their way, it happens.

So with that said, I'll say Maverick Baranowski punches the ball out of Carter Smith's right arm in the fourth quarter, and Kerry Brown scoops it to return it inside the red zone. Lindsey finds Javon Tracy at the pylon, and the Axe stays in Minneapolis.

VSIN picks Wisconsin to win
It’s just hard not to think the Badgers defense will be the best unit on the field here. Wisconsin has allowed 10 or fewer points in two of the last three games, plus the defense held up pretty well against Indiana. The Badgers have a really good group of linebackers, so they should be able to fly to the ball when the Golden Gophers look to run. And Minnesota’s passing game isn’t really dangerous, so Wisconsin’s above-average secondary should look pretty good here.

The Badgers just need to find a way to move the ball. But quarterback Carter Smith looks better and better each week, and Wisconsin has gotten the running game going over the last few games. That should mean that the Badgers will find a way to put up enough points to win.

Tony’s Picks has Wisconsin winning, 17-13
Both teams have issues, but the weather pushes this into a very specific type of game: run-heavy, slow, and dependent on field position. Wisconsin’s defense has been steadier, and their style fits this environment better.

Minnesota is the better scoring team on paper, but their offense has struggled badly when facing physical fronts and bad weather tends to shrink their playbook. The injury situation at receiver also matters in snow.

Both writers at Athlon Sports are picking Minnesota
Steven Lassan sees Minnesota winning 20-17
The Badgers are playing better with two wins over their last three games, while the Golden Gophers have dropped three out of their last four contests. Don’t expect a ton of points in this one. Minnesota has won three out of the last four in this series, and coach PJ Fleck’s team will extend that streak behind a couple of key plays from quarterback Drake Lindsey.

Kyle Wood goes with Minnesota 20-16
The Golden Gophers hang on to beat a Badgers team that’s begun to show signs of life. This is one of college football’s oldest rivalries, and it’s currently tied 63-63-8.

More staff picks from Gophers on SI
Joe Nelson picks Wisconsin, 30-23
Wisconsin is hot, Minnesota is cold. There is literally nothing to suggest the Gophers have enough juice to outmuscle the Badgers in what will be a cold and possibly snowy afternoon in Minneapolis. Wisconsin will run the ball 50 times for 300 yards. Dagger.

Will Ragatz goes with Minnesota, 17-10
All year long, the Gophers have found a way to win games at Huntington Bank Stadium, even when it hasn’t always been pretty. This week’s rivalry showdown looked like a fairly straightforward task for most of this fall while the Badgers were losing six straight games by multiple touchdowns, but Luke Fickell’s team seems to have turned a corner by winning two of its last three.

Still, Wisconsin is 0-4 on the road this season and Minnesota is 6-0 at home. I think P.J. Fleck, Drake Lindsey, Darius Taylor and company will do enough to pull out a close win on a wintery Saturday in Minneapolis and keep the Axe for another year.

Jonathan Harrison sides with Wisconsin, 20-14
Minnesota's season appears to be falling out from underneath them after the bad loss to Northwestern. Drake Lindsey showed he can put on an incredible performance, but it doesn't really matter much if the Gophers' D continues to just gift yards and points to the opposition.

Add in that this one might be taking place in the middle of a snowstorm, and it's going to be ugly. This feels like another Gophers loss, with Minnesota heading into bowl season looking like another December trip to Detroit is the most likely scenario.

Dimers forecasts a 21-18 Wisconsin win
Our leading predictive model currently gives Wisconsin a 62% chance of defeating Minnesota.
 

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