Wisconsin and Minnesota are set for a battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe that, as it did in 2019, will likely decide the winner of the Big Ten West.
Wisconsin wins the division with a win Saturday, Iowa wins with a win over Nebraska + Minnesota win over Wisconsin, Minnesota wins with a win over Wisconsin + Nebraska win over Iowa and, finally, Wisconsin wins with a loss to Minnesota + Nebraska win over Iowa + Indiana win over Purdue.
To simplify the complex: Wisconsin likely needs to win Saturday to clinch the West for the third time in five years.
Related: Film Room: Braelon Allen had a day on Saturday, but so did the offensive line
It’s an intriguing matchup on the surface level. Both teams rely heavily on the run game to create offense and both defenses are good against the run (Wisconsin obviously on a different level of good).
Here are five keys to Wisconsin winning its eighth-straight game and booking a trip to Indianapolis:
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