Axe Week once again commences, and another regular-season finale between Wisconsin and Minnesota will determine the fate of the Big Ten West.
The Badgers (8-3 overall, 6-2 Big Ten) ride a seven-game winning streak into Huntington Bank Stadium on Saturday (3 p.m. CT, FOX) when it attempts to tame P.J. Fleck and his Gophers (7-4, 5-3).
BadgerBlitz.com presents our weekly "3-2-1" column presents three additional things we learned this weekend, two questions heading into rivalry week, and one prediction for another edition of the border battle.
THREE ADDITIONAL THINGS WE LEARNED THIS WEEKEND
1. A trip to Indianapolis is still on the line on Saturday, which is something many didn't think could happen after four games.
Wisconsin's narrow, heart-pounding victory over Nebraska on Saturday secured its positioning for this week's rivalry matchup, and the Big Ten Network graphic lays it all out. Win, and the Badgers capture yet another West division championship. Lose, and well, it needs help.
It's worth stepping back and looking at where this Wisconsin team was four games into the season on Oct. 3, and I remember writing about that early assessment at that point. The offense did not have a true identity. The defense was very good but still gave up some big plays. Special teams were a net-negative with big plays allowed.
Now, Wisconsin is playing complementary football with its rushing and passing games playing off of each other. The defense, despite its rough outing against Nebraska, still continues to be among the nation's best, and the special teams has turned around with some recent play.
Also key, Wisconsin has produced ample turnovers that have significantly contributed to these seven straight wins.
UW now has a chance to punch its ticket to the Big Ten championship game on Saturday in what has been quite the turnaround.
2. It was a good weekend for Wisconsin backs both current and former.
