Paul Bunyan's Axe

Paul Bunyan's Axe
Teams	Wisconsin Badgers Minnesota Golden Gophers
Originated	1948
Trophy Series	Wisconsin leads, 35-24-3
Current Holder	Wisconsin
Previous Trophy	Slab of Bacon
Wisconsin (35) 1950 1951 1954 1957 1958 1959 1961 1962 1964 1966 1970 1974 1976 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1988 1991 1992 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2002 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009	Minnesota (24) 1948 1949 1955 1960 1963 1965 1967 1968 1969 1971 1972 1973 1975 1977 1984 1985 1986 1987 1989 1990 1993 1994 2001 2003
Ties (3) 1952 1953 1956

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 storied rivalries in college football, representing the oldest and most-played rivalry in Division I-A football, with 119 editions dating back to 1890.^[1] The Golden Gophers lead the all-time series, 59-52-8, while the Badgers lead the Axe's series, 35-24-3.

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. Minnesota led that series 11-3 until the trophy was "lost" in 1943. It would not resurface until 1994.

The Paul Bunyan Axe was created by the Wisconsin letterwinners' organization (the National W Club) and would be instituted as the trophy in the series in 1948. The scores of each game are recorded on the axe's handle, which is 6 feet long. The original axe was retired after 2003 game and new axe was created for the 2004 game.[1] When the game ends, if the team holding the trophy wins, they run to their own sideline, take the axe and carry it around the field. If the team not holding the trophy wins, they are allowed to run to their opponents' sideline and "steal" the axe away.

Game results

See 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