Paul Bunyan's Axe

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Paul Bunyan's Axe
Teams Wisconsin Badgers
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Originated 1948
Trophy Series Wisconsin leads, 37-24-3
Current Holder Wisconsin
Previous Trophy Slab of Bacon

Wisconsin logo Minnesota logo

Paul Bunyan's Axe, named after the mythical giant lumberjack Paul Bunyan, is a prize awarded every year to the winner of the college football game between Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Contents

[edit] History

Wisconsin vs Minnesota (13th meeting in the series), Randall Field, Wisconsin, 1904

The trophy is a symbol of one of the most storied rivalries in college football, representing the most-played rivalry in Division I-A football, with 120 editions dating back to 1890.[1] The Golden Gophers lead the all-time series, 59-54-8, while the Badgers lead the Axe's series, 37-24-3.

Earlier, the schools played for the Slab of Bacon, a piece of wood with an M or a W, depending from which angle one would look on it. Minnesota led that series 11-3 until the trophy was "lost" in 1943. It would not resurface until 1994.

The Paul Bunyan Axe was created by the Wisconsin letterwinners' organization (the National W Club) and would be instituted as the trophy in the series in 1948. The scores of each game are recorded on the axe's handle, which is 6 feet long. The original axe was retired after the 2003 game and a new axe was created for the 2004 game.[1] When the game ends, if the team holding the trophy wins, they run to their own sideline, take the axe and carry it around the field. If the team not holding the trophy wins, they are allowed to run to their opponents' sideline and "steal" the axe away.

Badger head coach Bret Bielema has used this tradition as a way of inspiring his players in practice the week before the game. For one practice, the axe is placed on a players bench and red-shirted players, dressed in Minnesota jerseys, would run to the axe and "steal" it in front of their teammates.

[edit] Game results

Year Wisconsin Minnesota Location
1948 Wisconsin 0 Minnesota 16 Madison, WI
1949 Wisconsin 6 Minnesota 14 Minneapolis, MN
1950 Wisconsin 14 Minnesota 0 Madison, WI
1951 Wisconsin 30 Minnesota 6 Minneapolis, MN
1952 Wisconsin 21 Minnesota 21 Madison, WI
1953 Wisconsin 21 Minnesota 21 Minneapolis, MN
1954 Wisconsin 27 Minnesota 0 Madison, WI
1955 Wisconsin 6 Minnesota 21 Minneapolis, MN
1956 Wisconsin 13 Minnesota 13 Madison, WI
1957 Wisconsin 14 Minnesota 6 Minneapolis, MN
1958 Wisconsin 27 Minnesota 12 Madison, WI
1959 Wisconsin 11 Minnesota 7 Minneapolis, MN
1960 Wisconsin 7 Minnesota 26 Madison, WI
1961 Wisconsin 23 Minnesota 21 Minneapolis, MN
1962 Wisconsin 14 Minnesota 9 Madison, WI
1963 Wisconsin 0 Minnesota 14 Minneapolis, MN
1964 Wisconsin 14 Minnesota 7 Madison, WI
1965 Wisconsin 7 Minnesota 42 Minneapolis, MN
1966 Wisconsin 7 Minnesota 6 Madison, WI
1967 Wisconsin 14 Minnesota 21 Minneapolis, MN
1968 Wisconsin 15 Minnesota 23 Madison, WI
Year Wisconsin Minnesota Location
1969 Wisconsin 10 Minnesota 35 Minneapolis, MN
1970 Wisconsin 39 Minnesota 14 Madison, WI
1971 Wisconsin 21 Minnesota 23 Minneapolis, MN
1972 Wisconsin 6 Minnesota 14 Madison, WI
1973 Wisconsin 17 Minnesota 19 Minneapolis, MN
1974 Wisconsin 49 Minnesota 14 Madison, WI
1975 Wisconsin 3 Minnesota 24 Minneapolis, MN
1976 Wisconsin 26 Minnesota 17 Madison, WI
1977 Wisconsin 7 Minnesota 13 Minneapolis, MN
1978 Wisconsin 48 Minnesota 10 Madison, WI
1979 Wisconsin 42 Minnesota 37 Minneapolis, MN
1980 Wisconsin 25 Minnesota 7 Madison, WI
1981 Wisconsin 26 Minnesota 21 Minneapolis, MN
1982 Wisconsin 24 Minnesota 0 Madison, WI
1983 Wisconsin 56 Minnesota 17 Minneapolis, MN
1984 Wisconsin 14 Minnesota 17 Madison, WI
1985 Wisconsin 18 Minnesota 27 Minneapolis, MN
1986 Wisconsin 20 Minnesota 27 Madison, WI
1987 Wisconsin 19 Minnesota 22 Minneapolis, MN
1988 Wisconsin 14 Minnesota 7 Madison, WI
1989 Wisconsin 22 Minnesota 24 Minneapolis, MN
Year Wisconsin Minnesota Location
1990 Wisconsin 3 Minnesota 21 Madison, WI
1991 Wisconsin 19 Minnesota 16 Minneapolis, MN
1992 Wisconsin 34 Minnesota 6 Madison, WI
1993 Wisconsin 21 Minnesota 28 Minneapolis, MN
1994 Wisconsin 14 Minnesota 17 Madison, WI
1995 Wisconsin 34 Minnesota 27 Minneapolis, MN
1996 Wisconsin 45 Minnesota 28 Madison, WI
1997 Wisconsin 22 Minnesota 21 Minneapolis, MN
1998 Wisconsin 26 Minnesota 7 Madison, WI
1999 Wisconsin 20 Minnesota 17 Minneapolis, MN
2000 Wisconsin 41 Minnesota 20 Madison, WI
2001 Wisconsin 31 Minnesota 42 Minneapolis, MN
2002 Wisconsin 49 Minnesota 31 Madison, WI
2003 Wisconsin 34 Minnesota 37 Minneapolis, MN
2004 Wisconsin 38 Minnesota 14 Madison, WI
2005 Wisconsin 38 Minnesota 34 Minneapolis, MN
2006 Wisconsin 48 Minnesota 12 Madison, WI
2007 Wisconsin 41 Minnesota 34 Minneapolis, MN
2008 Wisconsin 35 Minnesota 32 Madison, WI
2009 Wisconsin 31 Minnesota 28 Minneapolis, MN
2010 Wisconsin 41 Minnesota 23 Madison, WI
2011 Wisconsin 42 Minnesota 13 Minneapolis, MN
Current series: Wisconsin leads 37-24-3

[edit] See also

[edit] References

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