MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Drake Lindsey threw a touchdown pass to Jameson Geers for the only second-half score in snow-globe conditions, and John Nestor had two interceptions and a fumble recovery for Minnesota in a 17-7 victory over Wisconsin on Saturday to keep Paul Bunyan's Axe.
Darius Taylor had a 49-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter to get the Gophers going, and their defense rebounded from a rough month to limit the Badgers to one score for the second straight year in the 135th edition of the most-played rivalry in major college football history.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMinnesota (7-5, 5-4 Big Ten) has won five of the last eight matchups with Wisconsin (4-8, 2-7) after a 14-game losing streak that was the longest for either side and now leads the series 64-63-8.
With snow whitening the field and wind whipping through the air all afternoon, Lindsey completed 18 of 24 passes in a safe diet of screen plays and out routes for 90 yards. The redshirt freshman nailed his most important throw on third-and-7 from the 13 in the third quarter, floating a perfectly placed ball over the line so his trusty senior tight end could secure a jumping catch in traffic as he tumbled to the turf for a 10-point lead that might as well have been double that on this wintry day for a Badgers offense that entered the game with the second-fewest yards and points in the FBS.
The Gophers failed to capitalize on Nestor’s first two takeaways. Brady Denaburg, who missed both of his field goal tries in a 38-35 loss at Northwestern last week including the game-tying attempt as time expired, had a 38-yard kick blocked in the first quarter four plays after Nestor fell on the fumble from an errant snap that hit Vinny Anthony as he crossed on a jet motion.
The Gophers also went three-and-out with a 22-yard punt after Nestor’s first interception off a deflection by teammate Maverick Baranowski in the third quarter. But the transfer cornerback from Iowa, who missed the last game due to injury, delivered again on the very next drive just as the Badgers were starting to find success in the passing game that eluded them all season.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNestor darted in front of Trech Kekahuna for the pick and raced 68 yards before getting tackled by quarterback Hunter Simmons, who played the whole second half after true freshman Carter Smith started. Simmons went 12 for 19 for 162 yards for the Badgers.
The takeaway
Wisconsin: After finishing with their most losses since a 1-10 finish in 1990 in their first year under coach Barry Alvarez, the Badgers miss a second straight bowl season after making 22 in a row.
Minnesota: By going 7-0 at Huntington Bank Stadium, the Gophers went unbeaten at home for the first time since 1967 when they tied for first in the 10-team Big Ten with Indiana and Purdue.
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Wisconsin opens the 2026 season at Lambeau Field in Green Bay against Notre Dame before a Big Ten schedule that ought to be far more favorable with no Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon or Michigan.
Minnesota awaits its bowl game invitation, with the Rate Bowl in Phoenix on Dec. 26 or the Pinstripe Bowl in New York on Dec. 27 as two of the most realistic possibilities.
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