Wisconsin football will close out its 2026 regular season on a Friday night. The Badgers will host Minnesota on November 27 at 6:30 p.m. CT, with the game airing on NBC, the program announced Wednesday.
According to Yahoo Sports, the Battle for the Axe will return to Camp Randall Stadium for the first time since 2024, when Minnesota won 24-7. Wisconsin's last victory in the series came in 2023, a 28-14 win at Minnesota that featured a strong performance from running back Braelon Allen.
The Axe Game announcement came the same day Wisconsin learned of several other schedule details. The Badgers will face Notre Dame on September 6 on NBC, Western Illinois on September 12 at 6:15 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network, and Eastern Michigan on September 19 at 11:30 a.m. CT on Peacock.
Coach Luke Fickell's team also received kickoff windows for additional games. The homecoming game against Michigan State on October 3 will begin no later than 4 p.m. CT. Road games at Penn State on September 26 and at Iowa on October 31 will both kick off before 4 p.m. CT.
The move to a Friday night slot gives the Axe Game added visibility on a national broadcast heading into the Thanksgiving weekend. Wisconsin will be looking for its first win in the series in three years when the teams meet at the end of November.
