Sports

Only one Big Ten football rivalry tops Wisconsin-Minnesota: Ranking the top 10

Badger of Honor · Jul 22, 2026 16:24 · 3 min read

Only one Big Ten football rivalry tops Wisconsin-Minnesota: Ranking the top-10 — Wisconsin's Mark Zalewski carries the Paul Bunyan Axe around the field in 2006. Uwgrid15 Spt Joek | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Ranking the top-10 Big Ten rivalries and Wisconsin gets featured a couple of times. Check out who's on top.

The Big Ten has some of the greatest rivalries in all of college football. However, there is heavy debate about which rivalries are the best, fiercest, matter the most, and rank above the others. This won't settle the debate, but it will add to it. Here's a list of the top-10 rivalries in the Big Ten.

1. Ohio State vs. Michigan (The Game)

This post would be very disingenuous if you ranked any Big Ten rivalry higher than this one. It's the No. 1 rivalry in all of college football. It's a bigger stage and higher stakes than anything the SEC can put on the table.

2. Wisconsin vs. Minnesota (Paul Bunyan's Axe)

This is the oldest, most heated, and most played rivalry of all-time. If it ever got to similar stakes as the Ohio State vs. Michigan game, it would take the crown. There's not another rivalry in all of college football that is as old or has as many games under its belt.

3. Michigan vs. Michigan State (Paul Bunyan Trophy)

There was debate about having a second Michigan rivalry this high, but the hatred between these two fanbases is thick. It hasn't been as relevant recently, so you could argue it deserves to be lower, but for now, it's a top-3.

4. Wisconsin vs. Iowa (The Heartland Trophy)

An old Big Ten West rivalry that still has some juice when the divisions went away. Each fanbase loves beating the other, and having a trophy to be part of the contest helps the stakes. The programs are often in similar spots and play similar styles, so that revs it up a little too.

5. Iowa vs. Minnesota (Floyd of Rosedale)

Iowa gets a back-to-back rivalry game on this list. The Hawkeyes also love beating the Golden Gophers... who doesn't? The trophy is also pretty epic, and that helps it be even cooler.

6. Washington vs. Oregon

This one may rise up a bit in the rankings as the newcomers get more acclimated to the Big Ten. However, this old Pac-12 rivalry is an all-timer. It was the No. 1 rivalry in the Pac-12, and the two fan bases absolutely hate each other. It loses some points for not having a trophy or a name, but maybe the Big Ten will rub off on this one.

7. USC vs. UCLA (Victory Bell)

Another newbie rivalry game in the Big Ten, but this one has some good animosity involved. Most rivalry games in the Big Ten are border battles; there are some that may share a state, but these two literally are fighting for the keys to the city.

8. Indiana vs. Purdue (Old Oaken Bucket)

This one drops in the ranking a little bit now that Indiana is good at football and bad at basketball. Purdue has decided to stay true to their roots and be bad at football and good at basketball. So, there's not as much at stake anymore, and the Old Oaken Bucket may be an Indiana prize every year if Curt Cignetti stays at Indiana.

9. Iowa vs. Nebraska (Heroes Trophy)

Another rivalry that makes the list because of how much heat these two fan bases have for each other. There is literally no love lost between these two. It's also another Big Ten West rivalry that lives on.

10. Illinois vs. Purdue (Purdue Cannon)

Similar to USC and UCLA but not quite as close. The proximity and often trajectory of the two programs have this rivalry going hard. And as much as you'd like to think that it's a one-sided Illinois win, that would be your modern brain assigning value to the rivalry. Purdue still holds the all-time lead.