The Storied Rivalry

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TheMonsignor

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Here you go, updated with more recent information -- including that it is now the longest consecutively played rivalry game:
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It is, of course, the most-played rivalry in Division I-A football. 121 meetings and counting, missing only 1906 since that first game in 1890. It was once for the Slab Of Bacon, and since WW 2, has been played for Paul Bunyan's Axe. Minnie leads the series, 58-55-8. Since the Big Ten (fka Western Conference) was formed in 1896, the series is UM – 54, UW – 53, 8 ties.

With the demise of the Kansas-Nebraska rivalry game, the Wisconsin-Minnesota game is now also the longest continually played rivalry, the teams having met every year since 1906.

A Wisconsin win this weekend will match the 9 straight wins Minnesota had from 1933-41. That is the longest streak either team has had.

For a lot of old-timers like me, it is THE game of the season. I frankly want to win this game more than any other. A victory over the Gophers can salvage a 1-10 season; it can be the caviar on a Big Ten championship.

I suggest below some of the more exciting, important or noteworthy games in this rivalry. At the end, I will tell you my favorite.

1. 1890: UM-63, UW-0. What a way to start.

2. 1894: UW-6, UM-0. Badgers secure their first win in the series.

3. 1905: UW-16, UM-12. The Badgers greatest coach of all time, Phil King, ends his career with a 6-2 record against the Gophers, beginning to even out the series. In those games, the UW outscored UM 132-29, and in the 4 games from 1896-99, King's great teams outscored Minnie, 93-0.

4. 1906: For the only time, the two teams did not meet. I blame Teddy Roosevelt.

5. 1917: UW-10, UM-7. Official opening of the new Camp Randall stadium.

6. 1925: UW-12, UM-12. The teams tie for the third straight year.

7. 1933: UM-14, UW-0. This year commences a tradition that will continue to 1982: the UW and UM meet in the final game of the season. In addition, this year starts the great UM domination for nearly two decades. UW will not beat UM for 9 years, until the great Badger team of '42 breaks the skein. UM goes 15-2 in this era.

8. 1940: UM- 23, UW-13. Minnesota rolled into Camp Randall after beating #1 Michigan and Tom Harmon, figuring they’d roll the Badgers on their way to another national title. The Badgers came out fighting, taking a 13-0 lead. Alas, talent won out and Minnesota won the game and another of their national crowns.

9. 1961: UW-23, UM-21. Despite the loss, the Gophers earn their last trip to the Rose Bowl. Something about OSU upholding their high academic standards. It was Minnesota’s only Big Ten loss of the year, and the Goofs missed a 2-point conversion in an attempt to tie the game.

10. 1962: UW-14, UM-9. In a battle of titans (ranked #3 and 5), the Badgers win the Rose Bowl trip, helped by some controversial calls by the refs.

11. 1966: UW-7, UM-6. Milt Bruhn wins in his final game, as the crowd chants "Goodbye, Miltie."

12. 1974: UW-49, UM-14. Billy Marek goes wild for 305 yards and 5 TDS in one of the most entertaining games ever at Camp Randall.

13. 1979: UW-42, UM-37. My first visit to old Memorial Stadium in Minneapolis (that I can recall, anyway), with a big snowstorm the night before, Mike Kalasmiki actually running for a TD, and the Badgers winning only because they had the ball last in a game with two nonexistent defenses.

14. 1981: UW-26, UM-21. Randy Wright's pass to Michael 'Numchuks' Jones in the corner of the end zone at Memorial sends the UW to its first bowl game since 1963.

15: 1983: UW-56, UM-17. First game in the Dome. The 2007 game will mark the final game in that monstrosity of a stadium. Whoever wins will forever hold the Hump record, as the teams are 6-6 in the Dome.

16. 1984: UM-17, UW-14. In the foggie at Camp Randall, Rickey Foggie completes 2 of 21 passes for 218 yards and 3 TDS (or so it seemed at the time) in a big upset.

17: 1991: UW-19, UM-16. BA's first Big Ten win, on the road. Tucker makes the big hit to save the game.

18. 1993: UM-28, UW-21. In the Badgers Rose Bowl year, the Gophers ruin a shot at the national championship. Bevell throws for the UW record of 423 yards, but turnovers and a game UM team spell doom. From this game comes the famous quote from the Tipper: "They ain't gonna win another game!"

19. 1999: UW-20, UM-17. OT FG gives UW a heart-thumping win in the Dome, on its way to the Rose Bowl.

20. 2003: UM-37, UW-34. The Gophers repay the favor by winning on a FG on the last play of the game in the Dome.

21. 2005: UW-38, UM-34. UM’s Maroney gashes the UW for nearly 300 yards rushing. But, in one of the most incredible finishes in this storied rivalry, the UW overcomes a 10 point deficit in the last 4 minutes, with a blocked punt recovered in the end zone for the winning score with half a minute to play. The Minneapolis crowd is stunned.

22. 2007: UW-41, UM-34. In another track meet, UW’s Brown rushes for 250 yards and UM’s Weber throws for over 350. This game is significant because it is the final game played in that hole of a football stadium, the HHH Metrodome. UW ends up with a 7-6 lead over UM in games played in the Dome.

23. 2009: In the first Big Ten game played in Minnesota’s excellent new TCF Bank Stadium (back to outdoor football, yay!), Wisconsin holds on to win, 31-28.

The Badgers have won 8 in a row and 15 of the last 17 to begin to bring the series closer, and close the gap created by Minnesota’s great teams from the 1930’s – 1950’s.

There you have it. Add on. Argue. But most of all, enjoy one of the best rivalries in college football.

My favorite game: the 1979 track meet in old Memorial Stadium. I could wax at length as to why that is so good, but I will spare you.

ON WISCONSIN!! BEAT MINNESOTA!!!

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Dudes: I bumped up an old post. I will update tomorrow. But wanted you to know I care! On, Wisconsin ! Let's hear it for the longest rivalry in D-1 football !

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It is, of course, the most-played rivalry in Division I-A football. 119 meetings and counting, missing only 1906 since that first game in 1890. It was once for the Slab Of Bacon, and since WW 2, has been played for Paul Bunyan's Axe. Minnie leads the series, 59-52-8.

For a lot of old-timers like me, it is THE game of the season. I frankly want to win this game more than any other. A victory over the Gophers can salvage a 1-10 season; it can be the caviar on a Big Ten championship.

I suggest below some of the more exciting, important or noteworthy games in this rivalry. At the end, I will tell you my favorite.

1. 1890: UM-63, UW-0. What a way to start.

2. 1894: UW-6, UM-0. Badgers secure their first win in the series.

3. 1905: UW-16, UM-12. The Badgers greatest coach of all time, Phil King, ends his career with a 6-2 record against the Gophers, beginning to even out the series. In those games, the UW outscored UM 132-29, and in the 4 games from 1896-99, King's great teams outscored Minnie, 93-0.

4. 1906: For the only time, the two teams did not meet. I blame Teddy Roosevelt.

5. 1917: UW-10, UM-7. Official opening of the new Camp Randall stadium.

6. 1925: UW-12, UM-12. The teams tie for the third straight year.

7. 1933: UM-14, UW-0. This year commences a tradition that will continue to 1982: the UW and UM meet in the final game of the season. In addition, this year starts the great UM domination for nearly two decades. UW will not beat UM for 9 years, until the great Badger team of '42 breaks the skein. UM goes 15-2 in this era.

8. 1940: UM- 23, UW-13. Minnesota rolled into Camp Randall after beating #1 Michigan and Tom Harmon, figuring they’d roll the Badgers on their way to another national title. The Badgers came out fighting, taking a 13-0 lead. Alas, talent won out and Minnesota won the game an another of their national crowns.

9. 1961: UW-23, UM-21. Despite the loss, the Gophers earn their last trip to the Rose Bowl. Something about OSU upholding their high academic standards. It was Minnesota’s only Big Ten loss of the year, and the Goofs missed a 2-point conversion in an attempt to tie the game.

10. 1962: UW-14, UM-9. In a battle of titans (ranked #3 and 5), the Badgers win the Rose Bowl trip, helped by some controversial calls by the refs.

11. 1966: UW-7, UM-6. Milt Bruhn wins in his final game, as the crowd chants "Goodbye, Miltie."

12. 1974: UW-49, UM-14. Billy Marek goes wild for 305 yards and 5 TDS in one of the most entertaining games ever at Camp Randall.

13. 1979: UW-42, UM-37. My first visit to old Memorial Stadium in Minneapolis (that I can recall, anyway), with a big snowstorm the night before, Mike Kalasmiki actually running for a TD, and the Badgers winning only because they had the ball last in a game with two nonexistent defenses.

14. 1981: UW-26, UM-21. Randy Wright's pass to Michael 'Numchuks' Jones in the corner of the end zone at Memorial sends the UW to its first bowl game since 1963.

15: 1983: UW-56, UM-17. First game in the Dome. The 2007 game will mark the final game in that monstrosity of a stadium. Whoever wins will forever hold the Hump record, as the teams are 6-6 in the Dome.

16. 1984: UM-17, UW-14. In the foggie at Camp Randall, Rickey Foggie completes 2 of 21 passes for 218 yards and 3 TDS (or so it seemed at the time) in a big upset.

17: 1991: UW-19, UM-16. BA's first Big Ten win, on the road. Tucker makes the big hit to save the game.

18. 1993: UM-28, UW-21. In the Badgers Rose Bowl year, the Gophers ruin a shot at the national championship. Bevell throws for the UW record of 423 yards, but turnovers and a game UM team spell doom. From this game comes the famous quote from the Tipper: "They ain't gonna win another game!"

19. 1999: UW-20, UM-17. OT FG gives UW a heart-thumping win in the Dome, on its way to the Rose Bowl.

20. 2003: UM-37, UW-34. The Gophers repay the favor by winning on a FG on the last play of the game in the Dome.

21. 2005: UW-38, UM-34. UM’s Maroney gashes the UW for nearly 300 yards rushing. But, in one of the most incredible finishes in this storied rivalry, the UW overcomes a 10 point deficit in the last 4 minutes, with a blocked punt recovered in the end zone for the winning score with half a minute to play. The Minneapolis crowd is stunned.

22. 2007: UW-41, UM-34. In another track meet, UW’s Brown rushes for 250 yards and UM’s Weber throws for over 350. This game is significant because it is the final game played in that hole of a football stadium, the HHH Metrodome. UW ends up with a 7-6 lead over UM in games played in the Dome.

23. 2009: In the first Big Ten game played in Minnesota’s excellent new TCF Bank Stadium (back to outdoor football, yay!), Wisconsin holds on to win, 31-28.

The Badgers have won 6 in a row and 13 of the last 15 to begin to bring the series closer, and close the gap created by Minnesota’s great teams from the 1930’s – 1950’s.

There you have it. Add on. Argue. But most of all, enjoy one of the best rivalries in college football.

My favorite game: the 1979 track meet in old Memorial Stadium. I could wax at length as to why that is so good, but I will spare you.

ON WISCONSIN!! BEAT MINNESOTA!!!
 

I look forward to this post every year. Thank you for posting!
 

TheMonsignor, great stuff as usual.

Here's to a great game tomorrow and a Gopher win.

Go Gophers!!
 

Of all the games where we managed to grasp defeat out of certain victory, I have never felt as awful as after the 05 game.
 

Agreed. I felt like I had been punched in the groin by 1,000 tiny fists for about a week after that one.

Still not sure which was worse.. that or the 03 Michigan game. I think the Michigan one had longer term implications (could have turned the corner for the team, fan base, etc especially with a Rose Bowl berth), while the Wisconsin one made me sick to my stomach for a long time just because of how incredibly quickly and painfully we gave it away. Add to that the 25k+ WI fans in attendance...
 


Hello Monsignor!

Good to hear from you. I was wondering when you'd be radioing in! LOL

Here's to another great game.
 

TheMonsignor said:
15: 1983: UW-56, UM-17. First game in the Dome. The 2007 game will mark the final game in that monstrosity of a stadium. Whoever wins will forever hold the Hump record, as the teams are 6-6 in the Dome.
Click to expand...

Time for an update - you can have the Dome record, I don't want it.

Go Gophers.
 

To me what made UW 05 worse than Mich 03 was that it was the week after beating Michigan, and I was flying pretty dam high. I've never had such opposite feelings leaving a stadium in my life than leaving the Big House (still, even after being married and having two kids one of the best 10 days of my life) and leaving the dome that day. The 20k WI fans certainly didn't help.

As a program, the 03 mich game was probably worse though.
 

In my time as a Gopher fan, Michigan '03 was the worst, and it's not even close.

Losing to the Vadgers in '05 sucked because of how we lost the game, but ultimately, all it meant was the difference between an 8-4 and 7-5 season. Heading into the Michigan game in '03, we were as close to the mountaintop as we had been in nearly 40 years. It's more or less (with occasional, small interruptions) been continually downhill ever since.
 




I remember laughing after our loss to Sconnie in 05. I couldn't believe what just happened. I remember the 03 Michigan game, and just couldn't believe that the football Gods hated our team enough to screw us over like that.

BTW, it wasn't laughter of joy. It was laughter because I didn't want to be seen crying.
 

Hello Gophers !


Rather than repeat the annual thread, I went back to bring it up. Another year (now 120 games and counting), another change in the all-time scores (now 59-53-8 in favor of Minnesota), and another battle for the Axe coming up this weekend.

I'll be up in your fair city having a great time and cheering for the Badgers to keep the Axe!

I have to say that, after a couple of misfires, I think you finally have a real college football coach. I'm just hoping it takes Kill about 5 more years to get things in order so that that the UW can tie up the series.

It is still my favorite game of the year and the Most historic rivalry in the B1G.

See you Saturday .... and ON WISCONSIN !!
 

TheMonsignor said:
Hello Gophers !


Rather than repeat the annual thread, I went back to bring it up. Another year (now 120 games and counting), another change in the all-time scores (now 59-53-8 in favor of Minnesota), and another battle for the Axe coming up this weekend.

I'll be up in your fair city having a great time and cheering for the Badgers to keep the Axe!

I have to say that, after a couple of misfires, I think you finally have a real college football coach. I'm just hoping it takes Kill about 5 more years to get things in order so that that the UW can tie up the series.

It is still my favorite game of the year and the Most historic rivalry in the B1G.

See you Saturday .... and ON WISCONSIN !!
Click to expand...

Classy, appropriate and well done as usual TheMonsignor. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you are treated well by us Gopher fans on Saturday.

Enjoy the great rivalry - hopefully we do our part soon to make it competitive again!!

Go Gophers!!
 



I would add the 1952 and '53 games, both ties. The '52 tie cost us a conference co-chamionship and a Rose Bowl trip. In both games the Gophers could have won but for fumbles and mistakes. They were bitter losses, as were the '61 and (especially) '62 losses.
 

If we win in ot in 99 we are in the rose bowl instead. Or is that not true?
 

New fact to add to the rivalry which was just pointed out to me on Buckyville:

The UW-UM rivalry has always been the most-played rivalry. But until this year, it was not the most continuously played rivalry. That belonged to Nebraska-Kansas: they played every year starting in 1906, the year the Badgers and Gophers did not play. But that skein ended with Nebraska joining the Big Ten this year, and not playing Kansas.

The Wisconsin-Minnesota rivalry game is now the most-played and longest continuing rivalry in D-1 football.

I guess that is just another benefit of adding the Cornhuskers to the Big Ten! :cool:
 

Now here is a Badger fan that doesn't come to the hole and post crap. Rare, but thanks!
 

Hello Gophers:

Looking forward to a great game Saturday. We are lucky to have a great rivalry together and to have the most-played and longest-played series at that.

The Gophs have clearly righted ship this season and I expect Saturday to be a slug-fest typical of a Wisconsin vs. Minnesota matchup. Kill seems to finally be your guy and the move to clean house is a painful but necessary one that will go a long way in building the program.

Will be in attendance with no expectations but hoping for a Wisconsin win! Beating Iowa 2 years in a row is impressive and that fact alone is enough for any Badger fan to lose a bit of sleep!

Good luck. No injuries. May the best team win!

Here's to 120 more years together!
 

I think we should start a rumor that the Gophers and the Badgers really did play in 1906, but did so in secrecy. Could have happened, right?
 

Always enjoy these posts during Badger week. Just hope the game lives up to most of the matchups we've had recently (specifically in Minneapolis, the ones in Madison haven't been so great for the most part lol)
 

TheMonsignor said:
10. 1962: UW-14, UM-9. In a battle of titans (ranked #3 and 5), the Badgers win the Rose Bowl trip, helped by some controversial calls by the refs.
Click to expand...

Controversial?!? It was the biggest screw job in the history of hometown refs. Bobby Bell was called for a late hit on Vander Kelen, negating an interception and keeping the drive alive for Wisky to score the winning touchdown. The photo in the paper the next day clearly showed the ball still in Vander Kelen's hand as Bell was crushing him.

That win would have sent the Gophers to Pasadena for the third straight year.

There was a bar/restaurant in St. Paul that had the picture from the newspaper blown up and hanging on the wall. Anyone remember what establishment it was (I forget)?

edit: Here's the SI article regarding the game - http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1074368/index.htm
 

MorningCalmBadger said:
Hello Gophers:

Looking forward to a great game Saturday. We are lucky to have a great rivalry together and to have the most-played and longest-played series at that.

The Gophs have clearly righted ship this season and I expect Saturday to be a slug-fest typical of a Wisconsin vs. Minnesota matchup. Kill seems to finally be your guy and the move to clean house is a painful but necessary one that will go a long way in building the program.

Will be in attendance with no expectations but hoping for a Wisconsin win! Beating Iowa 2 years in a row is impressive and that fact alone is enough for any Badger fan to lose a bit of sleep!

Good luck. No injuries. May the best team win!

Here's to 120 more years together!
Click to expand...

Thanks for visiting. Its good to hear from some rational Badger fans.

The hope here is that Coach Kill, with the needed support from the top, can replicate what Alavarez did at UW.
 

Give UM back our Slab of Bacon!

TheMonsignor said:
New fact to add to the rivalry which was just pointed out to me on Buckyville:

The UW-UM rivalry has always been the most-played rivalry. But until this year, it was not the most continuously played rivalry. That belonged to Nebraska-Kansas: they played every year starting in 1906, the year the Badgers and Gophers did not play. But that skein ended with Nebraska joining the Big Ten this year, and not playing Kansas.

The Wisconsin-Minnesota rivalry game is now the most-played and longest continuing rivalry in D-1 football.

I guess that is just another benefit of adding the Cornhuskers to the Big Ten! :cool:
Click to expand...

The Monsignor,

1. Thanks for coming back to entertain us. It is time for you to post / repost some of your funnier posts from years past. I have always looked forward to the The Slab of Bacon / Paul Bunyan's Axe if for no other reason, than to read your posts and banter in the week preceding the game.

2. God bless you, but may the Golden Gophers emerge victorious with the "replacement" Paul Bunyan's Axe and WE WANT OUR SLAB OF BACON BACK. No fair hiding it in Madison!
 

Send the Slab of Bacon to the College Football Hall of Fame.
 

Good to hear from you again, Monsignor!
 

Rosemountian said:
If we win in ot in 99 we are in the rose bowl instead. Or is that not true?
Click to expand...

It's true that if we had held on to win that game and all the games of the rest of the college football season had played out in the same way that they did, yes, we would have been Rose Bowl bound. There would have been a four way tie for the conference title at 6-2 and we would have won the "last team to go to the Rose Bowl" tiebreaker. This is also true of the 2003 Michigan game.
 

2727Gopher said:
It's true that if we had held on to win that game and all the games of the rest of the college football season had played out in the same way that they did, yes, we would have been Rose Bowl bound. There would have been a four way tie for the conference title at 6-2 and we would have won the "last team to go to the Rose Bowl" tiebreaker. This is also true of the 2003 Michigan game.
Click to expand...

Both games a major cause of serious tooth-grinding for years later...
 

TheMonsignor said:
Hello Gophers !


Rather than repeat the annual thread, I went back to bring it up. Another year (now 120 games and counting), another change in the all-time scores (now 59-53-8 in favor of Minnesota), and another battle for the Axe coming up this weekend.

I'll be up in your fair city having a great time and cheering for the Badgers to keep the Axe!

I have to say that, after a couple of misfires, I think you finally have a real college football coach. I'm just hoping it takes Kill about 5 more years to get things in order so that that the UW can tie up the series.

It is still my favorite game of the year and the Most historic rivalry in the B1G.

See you Saturday .... and ON WISCONSIN !!
Click to expand...

Nice post, Padre. Glad to have you here.
 


GopherRock said:
Nice post, Padre. Glad to have you here.
Click to expand...

Hah! He's the nice one in the family. I want to beat you, badly, but I want to keep playing you more.

The best way I can describe a rivalry is that losing to your rival hurts more than beating them feels good. Although the young 'uns might only know one side of this equation, the old farts like me remember it both ways.

I LOVE the Axe game and my kids do too!
 

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