20. Wisconsin 20, Minnesota 17 (2020)

It was a very difficult season for everybody in the country, but especially the Wisconsin Badgers. They lost starting quarterback Jack Coan before the season with a broken foot. And then Wisconsin had a COVID outbreak, forcing them to cancel two games, against Nebraska and Purdue. But after two weeks, Wisconsin had another game cancelled, this one against Minnesota. The stop-and-start season and the rash of injuries on the Wisconsin offense put the Badgers at 2-3 and on the verge of not making a bowl game for the first time since 2001. But there was one game left: championship week. With the earlier meeting having to be cancelled due to COVID problems within the Minnesota football program, the conference decided to make it right. Since neither Minnesota or Wisconsin were playing for a Big Ten title in Indianapolis, the conference announced the battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe was being played on the final week in Madison.

The Badgers fell behind early, but they came back and took the lead in the third quarter thanks to a Chase Wolf touchdown pass in place of the injured Mertz. The game went into overtime with Minnesota missing its attempt and Wisconsin’s Colin Larsh drilling a 30-yarder to defeat the Gophers 20-17 and send them to a bowl game for the 19^th straight season. It was the second ever overtime game against their border rivals and both ended 20-17 and both ended on a Wisconsin field goal.

This wasn’t the cleanest game ever since both players were missing significant pieces. By the end of the game, Wisconsin was down to Chase Wolf, who was the No. 3 quarterback going into the season. It was also without its top two running backs, top two wide receivers and its offensive line was banged up.

Players for Wisconsin needed to step up. Playing in his last game at Camp Randall Stadium, Garrett Groshek was one of the guys who answered the call. Following a Minnesota touchdown pass from Tanner Morgan to Cam Wiley, Wisconsin came right back, with Groshek right in the middle of it.

In a 75-yard drive, Groshek carried the ball three times for 48 yards, including the game-tying touchdown. On the score, Mertz handed it to Groshek, who blasted up the gut and sprinted 39 yards untouched.

Minnesota had one more good opportunity to score, but Morgan was picked off in the end zone by Eric “Master EB” Burrell.

The game was tied at 7-7 at the half.

The Gophers drove for a field goal to take the lead 10-7 from 38 yard out by Anders Gelecinskyj. But Bucky came back right down the field, but it came at a cost. On 2^nd-and-Goal from the 11, Mertz scrambled and ran, putting his head down and dove to the 4. But on the dive, he was hit in the head by a Minnesota defender.

That meant Wolf had to come in and finish the game. He was put in a tough spot, having to come into a 3^rd-and-Goal situation at the 4.

On the play, Wolf rolled left and threw the ball to the sideline just as he got drilled by a Minnesota defender. It was caught by Jack Dunn in the front left corner pylon for the score.

It looked like Wisconsin was going to run away with the game as the drove down the field after forcing a punt. Collin Larsh booted through a 31-yard field goal to increase the lead to seven.

However, the Gophers came down the field and scored to tie it up. On the drive, they converted one fourth down and two more third downs, including the tying touchdown. Morgan threw a slant to Mike Brown-Stephens from nine yards out to tie the score with 4:40 left.

Then came the craziness. Groshek ran for 19 yards on two plays to bring the ball to the Minnesota 40 with 1:52 left. But then came the mistake. On the first down play, Wolf went back to pass and threw a deep ball into the end zone. The ball was woefully underthrown by Chase and picked off in the end zone by Coney Durr as he was trying to hit Devin Chandler.

Minnesota came out firing with two plays out to its own 40 with 50 seconds left. But then disaster nearly struck the visitors. When cocking to throw the ball, Morgan was decked by Leo Chenel, who had a terrific game. The ball was laying on the ground, but Isaiahh Loudermilk was hurt and couldn’t go after the ball at the 27. Minnesota recovered the ball and then just let the clock run out so the game went in to overtime.

It was the second time the programs had met in overtime, as Wisconsin won 20-17 at the Metrodome in 1999.

Wisconsin won the toss and chose to take the ball second, so Minnesota got the ball first, just like in 1999. Morgan rolled right and threw left and the ball was dropped by Wisconsin linebacker Noah Burks.

Like Rasheed Wallace said, ball don’t lie.

Burks should have picked the ball off on the previous play, but Gelecinskyj hooked a 36-yard field goal and the score remained 17-17.

Wisconsin’s gameplan in the overtime period was simple: give the ball to Groshek. The Badgers ran five plays in overtime, and all of them were Groshek runs, totaling 13 yards. That set up a Larsh 30-yard field goal attempt for the win.

Right down the middle. Badgers win.

They kept the axe for a second consecutive season. It gave them a bowl berth, which they won over Wake Forest in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. Hopefully the game is a springboard for the 2021 season.