Opportunity Knocks As Purdue Faces No. 2 Michigan In Big Ten Title Game

For decades the Purdue Boilermakers have had a knack for pulling off improbable upsets on the gridiron.

In fact, since the AP poll began in 1936, no unranked team has had more success against top-ranked teams than Purdue.

Did you know? The Boilermakers have nine victories against AP No. 1 or No. 2 teams as an unranked team. That’s four more than any other university in the poll era.

I was on hand for one of those victories over a No. 1 team in the land when Purdue knocked off Michigan 16-14 in 1976 in Ross-Ade Stadium.

Futhermore, Purdue boasts an FBS record 17 wins over top-five teams when unranked.

No wonder the Old Gold and Black has been referred to as the “Spoilermakers” for so long.

Purdue will get yet another opportunity to spoil a team’s run for perfection when it faces undefeated and No. 2 Michigan at 8 p.m. ET Saturday in Indianapois’ Lucas Oil Stadium (a game which will be televised live on FOX). This will be the Boilermakers’ first-ever appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game after winning the league’s West Division.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for our football team,” said Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm, who is 3-0 against top-3 ranked teams. “We have a dream in our minds, and we’ve been able to get to this point to put ourselves in the position to compete against a top team in the country.”

Brohm’s Boilermakers have historically thrived on the role of being an underdog, beating Ohio State in 2018, and No. 2 Iowa and No. 3 Michigan State last season.

“When you play those type of teams you have to have a little luck on your side,” the sixth-year Purdue coach admitted. “You have to play your very best. A lot of things have to go your way.

“I think we will give it our best shot. I think as coaches we have to put in a plan that has a couple of wrinkles here and there that gives us an edge.”

Getting an edge on Michigan on either side of the ball will be a great challenge for the 8-4 Boilermakers.

This is a Wolverine that features a stout defense and the best offensive line and running attack in all of college football.

Michigan ranks second in the Big Ten in scoring offense and defense, scoring 39.8 points per game while surrendering 12.7.

It is first in total defense (allowing 262.2 yards per game), first in rush defense (84.8) and fourth in pass defense (177.3).

That running game will take a hit with the absence of junior running back Blake Corum, who rushed for nearly 1,500 yards this season with 18 touchdowns. He will undergo knee surgery after getting hurt a couple of weeks ago against Illinois.

No worries though, Corum’s backup – sophomore Donovan Edwards – is the real deal.

In Michigan’s decisive victory last Saturday at Ohio State, all Edwards did was run for 216 yards and a pair of scores.

Making matters even more challenging for Purdue’s D will be the emergence of sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy against the Buckeyes. He threw for 268 yards and three TDs. McCarthy has been picked off just twice this season and thrown for more than 2,000 yards and has 17 aerial strikes.

From the Purdue side of things, the Boilermakers will be playing with heavy hearts as for the past week quarterback Aidan O’Connell has been dealing with the sudden death of his brother. Hats off to Michigan fans, by the way, as a number of them have donated $16 (O’Connell’s jersey number) to Boilermaker Alliance, a nonprofit charitable organization set up in the wake of NIL.

O’Connell might have to play the game of his life and same probably can be said for third-team All-American wide receiver Charlie Jones. Tight end Payne Durham will have to be on top of his game, too, and likewise walk-on running back Devin Mockobee.

Defensively, Jalen Graham will have to galvanize a unit that has had the tendency to give up chunk yardage plays this season. If Purdue is to have a chance, allowing big plays can only happen at a minimum against the Maize and Blue.

The Boilermakers don’t blitz much and have trouble generating a pass rush. Look for them to load up the box in an attempt to slow down the Wolverines’ potent rushing game, hoping McCarthy has an off night throwing the football.

“We’ve got to figure out maybe what has slightly hurt Michigan at times on both sides of the ball and see if we can do something to take advantage of it,” Brohm explained. “It’s going to come down to being aggressive, making plays, executing, blocking, tackling and then having the ball bounce our way.

“Of course, on any given Saturday, anything can happen.”

Yes it can coach, and it has over the years with Purdue football.

Do the Boilermakers have a chance against the Wolverines?

Sure. It’s one game, not four out of seven.

There’s no doubt in my mind Purdue, a 17-point underdog, will lay it all on the line and have the playbook wide open come Saturday night.

Will that be enough to allow the Boilermakers to pull off one of the most improbable victories in their program history? Very doubtful, but you just never know do you?

I can tell you one thing, I will be in attendance and soaking it all in just like I was at the 2001 Rose Bowl because these types of opportunities don’t come around very often for Purdue football … and who knows maybe the football gods will smile on the Boilermakers once again and everything will come up roses!

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