Wisconsin and Minnesota will play for Paul Bunyan’s Axe after all

The battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe will be played after all.

The Big Ten announced the matchups for its Champions Week and it will feature Wisconsin and Minnesota facing off at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday at 3 p.m.

The two sides were supposed to play Nov. 28 but the game was canceled due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Gophers program. At the time, there was talk the two could make the game up during Champions Week and that has proved to be the case.

Wisconsin and Minnesota have met every year since 1906 and it is the most-played rivalry in the FBS.

The Badgers will come into the game losers of three straight in the same season for the first time since 2008. They’ve been especially poor on offense, having not scored 10 or more points in any of the three games, the first time that’s happened since 1990.

The Gophers are coming off an impressive win against Nebraska. They were down 33 scholarship players and still won 24-17 after missing their two previous games for COVID-19 reasons.

Wisconsin has owned the rivalry over the last 25 years, going 22-3. That included a 38-17 win at Minnesota last year to capture the Big Ten West title.