Minnesota-Wisconsin Rivalry Returning to Black Friday for Second Time in Three Years

The battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe has been moved from its traditional Saturday slot on Thanksgiving weekend.

Nov 29, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers celebrate with Paul Bunyan’s Axe after the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Big Ten revealed start times and TV assignments for numerous games on the 2026 regular-season schedule on Wednesday. Minnesota's annual rivalry game against Wisconsin, being moved to Black Friday, was one of the biggest notes.

College football and the majority of sports in general have become a made-for-TV product, and this change is a perfect example. The Minnesota-Wisconsin rivalry has been played 135 times, and the majority of those matchups have taken place on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It has become a tradition for fans on both sides. The only people who want the game to be played on Friday are TV executives.

The Friday night timeslot will give NBC an opportunity to broadcast the game at 6:30 p.m. CT in a more standalone capacity than it would normally have on a Saturday that is loaded with big-time games. It should come as a surprise to nobody that a college football decision has been made with money as the main deciding factor once again.

In the grand scheme of things, a Friday start time doesn't change a whole lot. The game was played on Friday in 2024, and Minnesota ran the Badgers out of their own stadium with a 24-7 win. College football has been moved from its traditional Saturday spot hundreds of times over the last few seasons; this is not the first time nor the last. But it's the small changes that add up over time.

If you're still a fan of college football, you've probably accepted the fact that the sport is unrecognizable compared to even 10 years ago. Conference realignment, NIL and the transfer portal continue to change the entire landscape annually. That doesn't mean we shouldn't bend the knee for every change presented.

Rivalry week is truly one of the most unique aspects of college football, and I don't think there's anything even relatively similar across American sports. It also should be easy for decision makers to think of the fans and consider how small changes like this can and will impact the week. It's okay to miss your precious 6:30 p.m. timeslot on Black Friday, NBC. You don't need to squeeze every single dollar you can find out of the sport of college football.

Minnesota-Wisconsin is one of the most historic rivalries in college football. It has been played on Saturday for the majority of its existence, and it should continue to be played on Saturday.