The Wisconsin vs. Minnesota rivalry is the oldest in all of college football, and it's also the most active rivalry. These two teams have faced off against each other more times than any other two teams. At 135 games in the series, dating back to 1890, it's a historic and yet still current rivalry. The two teams love playing and beating each other, wielding the axe and toppling the other. However, while most of these games seem to be close, there are some shocking blowouts in the mix.
Here are the 7 largest margins of victories in the Wisconsin vs. Minnesota rivalry:
1. Minnesota beats Wisconsin 63-0 in 1890
The rivalry got off to a bad start when Minnesota won the first game by a whopping 63-0 score. It didn't look like this game would have much of a future if that continued. However, there's never been that lopsided a score since. The very first game is also the game with the largest margin of victory.
2. Minnesota beats Wisconsin 54-0 in 1916
The two most lopsided games happened over 100 years ago, which may go to show how close this rivalry came to being. The margin tightened up over the years, and there hasn't been a margin higher than 35 in the last 20 years. In fact, Minnesota will only have one more game with a more than 35-point win, and it is next.
3. Minnesota beats Wisconsin 40-0 in 1893
It's pretty heavy, Minnesota, so far, but that's about to change and change dramatically. One of the favorite rivalry shots that Wisconsin fans pull is that all of Minnesota's best games are pre-WWI.
4. Wisconsin beats Minnesota 39-0 in 1897
The largest Badger victory is also ancient, dating back to the 1800s, and it was another shutout to add to this list. We haven't seen a non-shutout yet, but that's coming in the next games.
5. Wisconsin beats Minnesota 56-17 in 1983
Wisconsin has beaten the Golden Gophers twice by a margin of exactly 39 points. In 1983, though, they allowed Minnesota to put up some of their own points. Ultimately, it was still very lopsided. At least we are getting into games where there are people alive who remember them.
6. Wisconsin beats Minnesota 48-10 in 1978
This game is an important one in the rivalry as the Badgers would rattle off six games in a row, flipping the rivalry in a lot of ways. This first lopsided win for Wisconsin would set the table for the next few years.
7. Wisconsin beats Minnesota 48-12 in 2006
This would be the last time a team beat the other by more than 35 points. It's been 20 years since the game was lopsided. Even if the rivalry felt completely one-sided at that point, Wisconsin was in the middle of 14 in a row over Minnesota.
There are then a handful of 35-point margins by either team:
1921: Wisconsin beats Minnesota 35-0
1941: Minnesota beats Wisconsin 41-6
1965: Minnesota beats Wisconsin 42-7
1974: Wisconsin beats Minnesota 49-14
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