It’s Axe Week: Giving Thanks for Minnesota (Ranked)

Happy Thanksgiving y’all. It’s Axe Week.

In this, the most magical of Wisconsin football seasons, let us continue B5Q’s annual tradition of giving thanks for all things Minnesota and the many bounties it brings.

Here are the things in 2017 that we love most about our dear friends to the west. Ranked.

14. Gophers going o’fer against Northwestern.

13. Brrrrrrrrrrrrock Lesnar

12. Lakes

11. Mascot Twitter Fights

11. The North Stars (R.I.P.)

Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

9. An Overflowing Harvest of Basketball Recruits

From Jordan Taylor to Mike Bruesewitz to Alex Illikainen to Brad Davison to Joe Hedstrom, the Gopher State has been generous in sharing its talent.

8. Brett Favre as a Viking (lolz)

(artist rendering below as an actual, literal viking)

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

7. Ryan Connelly

Eden Prairie, Minn., native/tackling machine

Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images

6. Luke Kunin, Minnesota Wild

5. Giving Wisconsin the annual opportunity to beat this guy #FLECKsanity.

Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images

4. Blair Walsh (still)

3. No. 1 Women’s hockey

Sweeping both Minnesota State and the Gophers in their first two WCHA road trips of 2017-18.

2. Sydney Hilley

The Brooklyn Park, Minn., native is the country’s best freshman setter and the engine that makes women’s volleyball hum.

UW Athletic Communications

1. Thirteen Straight Axe Week Wins

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