It’s Axe weekend at Camp Randall Stadium.
It’s Paul Bunyan’s Axe time. The Wisconsin Badgers will look to defend the Axe against P.J. Fleck and the Minnesota Golden Gophers this Friday, with kickoff scheduled for 11 A.M. CT.
It’s do-or-die for the Badgers bowl hopes. Wisconsin must win on Friday to extend one of the nation’s longest bowl streaks. As of Wednesday night, the Badgers are a 1.5-point favorite to keep the Axe in Madison.
What should Badgers fans know about the Minnesota Golden Gophers?
Opponent Preview
Minnesota clinched bowl eligibility on November 2nd with an upset win over then-24th-ranked Illinois to go 6-3 on the season. Since that impressive win, the Gophers suffered a head-scratching loss at Rutgers and nearly upset the fourth-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions, 26-25 in Minneapolis last Saturday.
New Hampshire transfer quarterback Max Brosmer has proven to be an upgrade at the position over Athan Kaliakmanis. Brosmer has passed for 2,426 yards coming into the Axe game, along with 15 touchdown passes compared to only five interceptions. His 67% completion percentage currently ranks sixth in the Big Ten.
One of Minnesota’s strengths this year has been the offensive line’s returning experience, headlined by potential first-round draft pick Aireontae Ersery at left tackle. Ersery came into this season as a returning All-Big Ten honoree and has earned a stellar 81.3 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus.
At the skill positions, running back Darius Taylor is tied for 10th in the Big Ten with 730 rushing yards. Fifth-year wideout Daniel Jackson will be the go-to receiver for the Gophers, as his 802 receiving yards are fifth in the conference.
The Gophers currently boast the 15th-best scoring defense, and they will be a challenge to pass against. Minnesota is third in the Big Ten in 47 pass deflections and is tied with Iowa with 16 interceptions, the most in the conference. True freshman safety Koi Perich leads the Big Ten with five interceptions and will undoubtedly earn All-Big Ten accolades after the season. Last but not least, after an injury-riddled junior season, linebacker Cody Lindenburg is sixth in the conference with 90 total tackles.
Score Prediction
The Wisconsin Badgers’ last four games have been a pattern: a close game at home, then a blowout on the road. Rinse and repeat one more time.
The good news for the Badgers is that Minnesota is not at the level of Oregon or Penn State, although the Gophers played the Nittany Lions tough last week. That’s where the positives end because the vibes regarding the football program have never been so poor in a long time. The Badgers could get a boost if Hunter Wohler and Will Pauling play on Friday, but they will be less than 100%.
Combine a demoralized Badgers football team with a morning kickoff on Black Friday when the students are gone spells doom. Losing the Axe to P.J. Fleck would be a fitting ending to an embarrassing season at Wisconsin.
Prediction: 23-17 Minnesota