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Minnesota (6-5) at Wisconsin (5-6)
Date: Friday, November 29
Time: Noon ET
TV: CBS
This game is for one of college football’s best trophies — Paul Bunyan’s Axe!
And in terms of a situational bet, this is the most situational game of them all.
The pick — Wisconsin moneyline (-130, DraftKings)
The Badgers have had a tough go of it lately. They have lost four straight games and are on the verge of missing out on a bowl game for the first time since 2001. They need this game.
I typically hate to bet on teams that “need” a victory (since every squad needs to win its next game), but Wisconsin faces a Minnesota group that’s coming off a brutal 26-25 loss to fourth-ranked Penn State at home.
The Gophers have to travel on a short week to face a Badgers team that’s desperate for a victory. It doesn’t help that the game will be at Camp Randall Stadium.
Wisconsin has had a gauntlet to end the season, playing then-No. 3 Penn State, traveling to Iowa and then taking on top-ranked Oregon. Sure, there was a bye in there, but those are three really tough teams.
Playing at home against a lower-tier opponent should be the catalyst for the Badgers to pull out a win.
Wisconsin likely will rely on its rushing game, as it ranks 23rd in rushing success rate. Also, defensively, the Badgers boast a top-50 passing defense and should semi-reliably be able to stop Minnesota.
With a lot on the line against a likely tired and travel-weary Gophers team on a short week, Wisconsin should pull out its sixth win of the season at home on Friday night.
Season record: 26-15, +9.78 units