The most-played rivalry in college football history began with a massive blowout in 1890.

Cultures · Published 10 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Minnesota Golden Gophers and Wisconsin Badgers have met 135 times, making their Border Battle the most-played rivalry in NCAA Division I football. Beyond the gridiron, this historic clash is defined by lost trophies, a century of continuous play, and a tradition of chopping down goal posts with an axe.

The rivalry between Minnesota and Wisconsin dates back to 1890, when the teams first met in Minneapolis for a game that ended in a lopsided 63–0 victory for the Golden Gophers. Since then, the two schools have faced each other annually, with the notable exception of 1906, when President Theodore Roosevelt suspended rivalry games due to safety concerns regarding player injuries and fatalities. This interruption makes the series the longest continuously played rivalry in Division I Football Bowl Subdivision history, with 119 consecutive games through 2025.

The series has been defined by shifting momentum. Minnesota held the overall lead from 1902 until 2017, at one point maintaining a 20-game advantage. However, Wisconsin surged in the 21st century, winning 14 consecutive meetings between 2004 and 2017. As of the end of the 2025 season, Minnesota holds a narrow lead in the all-time series with a record of 64–63–8. The rivalry is now officially protected by the Big Ten, ensuring the annual contest continues despite recent conference expansion.

Trophies have played a central role in the lore of the Border Battle. The original prize, the Slab of Bacon, was a piece of black walnut wood used from 1930 to 1943. It famously vanished after the 1943 game, remaining lost for over 50 years until it was discovered in a storage closet at Camp Randall Stadium in 1994. In 1948, it was replaced by Paul Bunyan's Axe, a six-foot-long trophy that has become the centerpiece of post-game celebrations. Winners traditionally carry the axe to the field to ceremonially chop down the goal posts, a ritual that has occasionally sparked tension between the two squads.

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