Big Ten East's Undefeated Streak in Championship Game At Stake Against Purdue

Big Ten East division teams have won all eight Big Ten Championship football games against the West since conference expansion and realignment in 2014. The undefeated Michigan Wolverines are heavy favorites against Purdue, who aims for its first outright Big Ten title since 1929.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Eight wins, zero losses.

That's the easiest way to sum up the Big Ten East division's dominance over the West in the conference championship games. In those eight games, the East has outscored the west 283-123, with an average score of 35-15. 

The Big Ten expanded to 14 teams before the 2014 season, stretching to the East coast with the addition of Rutgers and Maryland. This came with realignment to the current East and West division format, doing away with the short-lived Leaders and Legends divisions. 

And since then, the East's stranglehold on the West has been a group effort. Ohio State leads the way with five Big Ten titles in this time period, including a four-year reign from 2017-20. Michigan State and Penn State were crowned champions, too, and Michigan has been the Big Ten's top dog in recent years, now on the verge of back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances. With Ohio State, Michigan State and Michigan, the Big Ten East alone has sent as many teams to the College Football Playoff as any conference as a whole. 

In the 2022 regular season, the East had a combined 53-31 overall record, while the West went 42-42. In head-to-head matchups this year, the East held a 13-8 advantage with an average score of 25-21.

In its current form, the Big Ten Championship been particularly close. The Wolverines stomped Iowa by 39 points in 2021, and the last four Big Ten championship games have been decided by 12 or more points. This year, Michigan is favored by 16.5 points over Purdue, according to the SI Sportsbook.

Here's a rundown of each Big Ten Championship since 2014:

Dec. 6, 2014 – Ohio State 59, Wisconsin 0

Dec. 5, 2015 – Michigan State 16, Iowa 13

Dec. 3, 2016 – Penn State 38, Wisconsin 31

Dec. 2, 2017 – Ohio State 27, Wisconsin 21

Dec. 1, 2018 – Ohio State 45, Northwestern 24

Dec. 7, 2019 – Ohio State 34, Wisconsin 21

Dec. 19, 2020 – Ohio State 22, Northwestern 10

Dec. 4, 2021 – Michigan 42, Iowa 3

So for Purdue, the 2022 season represents a shot at program history. After defeating Indiana 30-16 in the Old Oaken Bucket game, Purdue won its first Big Ten West division title. Purdue went 8-4 overall and 6-3 in Big Ten play this year and will represent the West in the Big Ten Championship against undefeated No. 2 Michigan. 

The Boilermakers, also known as the "Spoilermakers," have a knack for upsets under coach Jeff Brom. Purdue is 3-0 against top three teams with Brohm, including 2018 victory over Ohio State and wins over Iowa and Michigan State in 2021. 

With a win over No. 2 Michigan in Saturday's 8 p.m. ET kickoff at Lucas Oil Stadium, Purdue can claim its first outright Big Ten title since 1929. Purdue, Michigan and Northwestern each finished atop the Big Ten in 2000 with 6-2 conference records, but the Boilermakers held the tiebreaker and went to the Rose Bowl, where they lost 34-24 to Washington.  

The 2023 Rose Bowl Game is contractually obligated to feature the Big Ten Conference Champion, so defeating the Wolverines on Saturday would lead to Purdue's first trip to the Rose Bowl since Drew Brees and the Boilermakers played in "The Grandaddy of Them All" roughly two decades ago. 

Brohm is proud what the Boilermakers have done this year, but he understands Michigan is without question the best team Purdue has faced this year. 

"Our guys have put in the work," Brohm said. "They're hungry. They've got a chip on their shoulder. They're out to prove to people what they can do, and that's what you want. You want to coach a bunch of hungry guys that want to do something special, and I know they want to play as well as they can for the fans and the people that support us and go out there and play a complete football game."

Related stories on Purdue football

• How to Watch Purdue vs. Michigan in Big Ten Championship: Purdue football (8-4) takes on the No. 2 Michigan Wolverines (12-0) in the Big Ten Championship on Saturday at 8 p.m ET at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. Here's how to watch, with game time and TV information, the latest on the point spread, series history, team stats and more. CLICK HERE
• Michigan's Blake Corum Needs Season-Ending Knee Surgery: Purdue is gearing up for the Big Ten's top rushing offense ahead of the conference championship game, but No. 2 Michigan is expected to be without star running back Blake Corum on Saturday. CLICK HERE
• Big Ten Championship Ticket Information: The matchup for the 2022 Big Ten Football Championship Game is set. Purdue and Michigan will kick off on Saturday, Dec. 3, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET and will be aired on FOX. For ticket information, CLICK HERE
• Devin Mockobee Among Key Pieces as Purdue Prepares for Michigan: Purdue walk-on running back Devin Mockobee is closing in on a program record for rushing by a freshman. He's been a major contributor for the Boilermakers, who are staring down one of the best defenses in the nation ahead of the Big Ten Championship game. CLICK HERE
• Purdue Has Another Chance at a Top-Ranked Opponent: The Purdue football program boasts an FBS record 17 wins over top-five teams when unranked. Under head coach Jeff Brohm, the Boilermakers are 3-1 against top-five teams, including two wins during the 2021 season. CLICK HERE
• Purdue Enters the Week as Heavy Underdog Against No. 2 Michigan:Purdue enters the week as a 16.5-point underdog against No. 2 Michigan ahead of the Big Ten Football Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. It will be the first meeting between the two programs since 2017, which was Jeff Brohm's first season as the head coach of the Boilermakers. CLICK HERE
• Aidan O'Connell Expected to Play in Big Ten Championship Game: Purdue quarterback Aidan O'Connell is dealing with the unexpected loss of his oldest brother, Sean. He is not in West Lafayette as the team begins preparation for the Big Ten Championship Game but is expected to lead the Boilermakers on Saturday. CLICK HERE