Wisconsin and Minnesota play for one of the cooler rivalry trophies in college football. The winning team lays claim to Paul Bunyan’s axe. Whichever school wins it this year will likely do it on the strength of the defense if the first half has been any indication. The Badgers and Gophers are locked in a good defensive battle, but Wisconsin leads 13-7 at the break.
Aaron Hill picked off a pass from Wisconsin’s Joel Stave early in the second quarter and returned it 39 yards for a touchdown to give Minnesota a 7-3 lead. Neither team has been able to get much going on offense of course. Wisconsin is without a third down conversion and the two teams combined for just 58 passing yards in the first half.
The Badgers held strong again on defense late in the first half to set up one final possession starting at the Minnesota 43-yard line but Minnesota kept Wisconsin out of the end zone and held them to a late field goal.
Wisconsin is hoping to make a push for a BCS at large with time winding out and needs to pull this win out.
