Wisconsin players choose Minnesota as guaranteed win in 2025

The 135th meeting between Minnesota and Wisconsin will have some heightened stakes this season.

Minnesota players pretend to cutdown the goal post with the Paul Bunyan Football Trophy after their game at Camp Randall Stadium Friday, November 29, 2024 in Madison, Wisconsin. Minnesota beat Wisconsin 24-7. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Minnesota is currently in the middle of its most successful period against bitter rival Wisconsin since the 1990s. With four wins in the eight years since P.J. Fleck arrived, the Badgers are fully aware of which team has gotten the better part of the rivalry of late.

Wisconsin players Billy Edwards Jr., Jake Renfro and Ricardo Hallman were asked at Big Ten Media Days earlier this week to "guarantee" a win on of the Badgers' daunting schedule, and they all chose Minnesota. In fairness, they were asked to choose between Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon and Minnesota.

When asked for onegame in which they could guarantee a win, ALL of Wisconsin’s players picked Minnesota.

That’s how you know the hate is real. Minnesota/Wisconsin is one of the greatest rivalries in major college football. Period.

Anybody who denies that just doesn’t know. pic.twitter.com/l31gnnDznf

— Ahlibobwa (@Ahlibobwa26) July 24, 2025

Related: Max Brosmer's gift to Gophers football just keeps on giving

The Gophers' 24-7 victory at Camp Randall Stadium last November was their most decisive win in the rivalry since 1990. Renfro even admitted to Pioneer Press Gophers beat reporter Andy Greder, "They beat our butts."

Minnesota's win marked its third over the Badgers in the last four years. It's the first time that has happened since 1987-1990. The Gophers have undoubtedly regained momentum in the rivlary, but they will have a new quarterback this season with redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey, who grew up with the Arkansas-LSU boot rivalry. Now he's excited to get a taste of the battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe.

"Coming up North, it's a little bit different, but it's really all the same," Lindsey said. "Fans screaming at each other, fans screaming at players. I feel like it's the same everywhere, but the Iowa and Wisconsin games are super fun."

Wisconsin has one of the hardest schedules in college football this season with games against Alabama, Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State, Oregon, Washington, Illinois and Indiana before even taking on the Gophers. It might be a roller coaster season in Madison, so the Minnesota game might be a nothing-to-lose type of situation.

The all-time series between Minnesota and Wisconsin is tied 63-63-8. Fleck is 4-4 against the Badgers and Luke Fickell is 1-1 against the Gophers. 2025's meeting at Huntington Bank Stadium on November 29 should be a fun one.