Whether you're a longtime fan who wants to do some planning, or you're just now joining the college football party, here are the need-to-knows for the rest of the Gophers season, however long it plays out:

"I thought these teams only played for that Axe?"

They do, but Paul Bunyan's Axe for the first time since 1963 will not be the big prize, a title will be. The winner Saturday is the Big Ten West Division champion. If Wisconsin wins, it will have made it through the conference season with only one loss. If the Gophers win, both teams will have two Big Ten losses and the Gophers would win the West title because of the head-to-head victory.

"… But 'The Axe' is still important?"

It would be quite the "cherry on top." Wisconsin is used to swinging it, having claimed it 10 consecutive years, starting in 2004. If the Gophers were to win, they could add the Axe to their trophy case and sit it next to the Little Brown Jug (vs. Michigan) and Floyd of Rosedale (vs. Iowa). The last time the Gophers possessed their three main trophies (and their lesser fourth trophy, the Governor's Victory Bell, by virtue of beating Penn State last season) for the first time since 1967.

"Are the Gophers expected to win Saturday?"

No, simply put. The oddsmakers favor Wisconsin by 13 points, the Badgers have won 10 in a row in this annual game and the Gophers haven't won in Madison since 1994.

"Are tickets for Saturday still available?"

Yes, both unofficially (StubHub and other secondary markets are always open) and officially, at uwbadgers.com/tickets.

"So the winner Saturday goes to …?"

… The four-year-old Big Ten Championship Game, the following Saturday night (7:15 p.m. kickoff). No, the Gophers never have played in this game. The West champ, either the Gophers or Badgers, will play Ohio State, the already-crowned East champ, on Dec. 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Gophers lost at home to Ohio State 31-24 on Nov. 15. Wisconsin lost to Ohio State by the same score last season in Columbus, Ohio, the most recent meeting between those two teams.

"And then on to the Rose Bowl?!?!?!"

Whoa, slow down. And: No. This year, the Rose Bowl is a semifinal game for the first College Football Playoff, so the Big Ten champion will not be automatically drafted to Pasadena, Calif. A Big Ten champ could be included in that four-team playoff, or left out and sent to another prestigious bowl game such as the Orange Bowl or Cotton Bowl. A committee will create the playoff field; executives from bowl games and conferences sort out the rest. Ohio State has the best chance to represent the Big Ten in the playoff, should it win out. Wisconsin would be a long shot, and there's virtually no chance the committee would select a three-loss Gophers team, even if it did shock the nation and win the Big Ten. Best case, Minnesota dreamers: a high-profile trip to bowl such as the Orange, Cotton or Citrus on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day against a powerhouse school such as Georgia, UCLA or Auburn.

Staff Reports