Wisconsin Versus Minnesota 1912 Real Photo Postcard

The postcard captures a moment from an early 20th-century intercollegiate football game between the University of Wisconsin and the University of Minnesota, with the score indicated as Wisconsin 14, Minnesota 0. This era marked a formative period for college football, as the sport transitioned from a nascent campus pastime into a major national spectacle, attracting large crowds and intense rivalries. The mention of "McKillop" likely refers to the photographer, a common practice for sports documentarians of the time.

The contest between Wisconsin and Minnesota is one of the oldest and most storied rivalries in American college football, known as the "Border Battle," which began in 1890. Photographs like this serve as historical records of the game's evolution, showcasing the athletic gear, playing styles, and passionate fan engagement characteristic of the sport before significant rule changes and advancements in player protection.