Paul Bunyan's Axe

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.

History

The trophy is a symbol of one of the most heated rivalries in college football, representing the oldest and most-played rivalry in Division I-A football, with 117 editions dating back to 1890. [http://www.cstv.com/teams/m-footbl/scoreboards/big10/20061014_game_preview_wis.html, http://www.cnn.com/2006/SPORT/11/16/insider.football/index.html] The Golden Gophers lead the all-time series, 59-50-8, while the Badgers lead the Axe's series, 33-24-3.

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. It was discontinued in 1943 and would not resurface until 1994. The Paul Bunyan Axe would be instituted as the trophy in the series in 1948; the scores of each game are recorded on the axe's handle.

Most recently, the Badgers defeated the Gophers 41-34 in 2007 to retain the axe.

Game results

CFB Yearly Record End
rivalrygame = yes
overall = Wisconsin leads 33-24-3
bcs = no
poll = no
polltype =

ee also

*Other Wisconsin traveling trophies:
**Heartland Trophy (with Iowa)
*Other Minnesota traveling trophies:
**Floyd of Rosedale (with Iowa)
**Governor's Victory Bell (with Penn State)
**Little Brown Jug (with Michigan)

References

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