Big Ten Title Matchup Gives Purdue Another Opportunity to Knock Off Highly-Ranked Team
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue football program has earned and come to embrace the moniker of "Spoilermakers" for its FBS record 17 wins over top-five teams when unranked. Three of those victories have come during coach Jeff Brohm's tenure, including two during the 2021 season.
By coming out ahead in a wild end-of-season finish in the race for a Big Ten West Division title, Purdue is staring down yet another highly-ranked foe. No. 2 Michigan awaits in the conference championship game Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The undefeated Wolverines are heavy favorites, but history has shown that the Boilermakers wouldn't have it any other way.
"When you play those type of teams you have a little luck on your side," Brohm said. "You have to play your very best. A lot of things got to go your way. I do think that we will prepare hard. I do think that we will give it our best shot. I do think that as coaches we got to put in a plan that has a couple wrinkles here and there that gives us an edge."
Michigan enters the matchup ranked second in the Big Ten in scoring offense and defense, scoring 39.8 points per game while giving up just 12.7 to opposing teams. The Wolverines are first in total defense (262.2 yards per game), first in rush defense (84.8) and fourth in pass defense (177.3) in the conference.
The Wolverines control games by coupling their stout defensive unit with one of the most potent rushing attacks in the nation. Junior running back Blake Corum has tallied 1,463 yards on the ground to go along with 18 touchdowns on 247 carries.
Sophomore running back Donovan Edwards, despite being relegated to a backup role most of the season, has 687 yards rushing and six touchdowns this season while averaging 7.5 yards per carry. He burst onto the scene last week in the team's 45-23 win over Ohio State, running for 216 yards and a pair of scores.
In the win over the Buckeyes, sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns. He's thrown just two interceptions in 12 games while compiling 2,215 yards passing and 17 touchdowns.
As Brohm and Purdue have come to know, to take down a team as routinely successful as Michigan, it will need more than just the wind of favor. But the Boilermakers have found ways to get it done before.
"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 said. "Of course, it's going to come down it being aggressive, making plays, executing, blocking, tackling, and then having the ball bounce our way. Of course, on any given Saturday, anything can happen."
Here's a look at all three of Purdue's victories against top-five teams under Brohm:
Oct. 20, 2018: Purdue 49, No. 2 Ohio State 20
It's a game that will continue to live on in Purdue football legend. As Tyler Trent watched on, the Boilermakers shocked the second-ranked Buckeyes at Ross-Ade Stadium during the 2018 season.
Quarterback David Blough threw for 378 yards and three touchdowns, two of which went to Rondale Moore as he registered 12 catches for 170 yards receiving. Running back D.J. Knox torched Ohio State on the ground to the tune of 128 yards rushing and a trio of scores in a game Purdue never trailed.
In the fourth quarter alone, the Boilermakers and Buckeyes combined for six touchdowns. Purdue handed Ohio State its first loss of the season, improving to 4-3 and 3-1 in Big Ten play.
Oct. 16, 2021: Purdue 24, No. 2 Iowa 7
On the back of a career day from wide receiver David Bell, the Boilermakers walked out of Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa, with a victory over the No. 2 Hawkeyes. Bell caught 11 passes for 240 yards and a touchdown as Purdue dominated Iowa.
Quarterback Aidan O'Connell completed 30 of his 40 passes for 375 yards and two scores while protecting the football against a secondary that led the Big Ten in interceptions a year ago.
The Boilermakers struck first and went on to lead 14-7 at halftime before shutting out the Hawkeyes in the second half. They improved to 4-2 and 2-1 in conference play as part of last season's magical nine-win campaign.
Nov. 6, 2021: Purdue 40, No. 3 Michigan State 29
Three weeks after the team's victory over No. 2 Iowa, Purdue returned to Ross-Ade Stadium for a matchup against undefeated Michigan State, which was ranked No. 3 in the country and had hopes of a College Football Playoff appearance.
The Boilermakers shattered those aspirations as O'Connell set career highs with 40 completions on 54 attempts and 536 passing yards to go along with his trio of passing touchdowns. The performance ranks third in program history for passing yards in a single game.
The victory moved Purdue to 6-3 and 4-2 in the Big Ten while also marking the first time since 1960 the program has been able to take down two top-five teams in the same season.
The team only lost one of its final four games of the year, a 59-31 loss to No. 4 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, to give Brohm a 3-1 overall record against top-five teams as the coach of Purdue football.
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.