Purdue Football Enters Week as Clear Underdog in Road Matchup With No. 21 Minnesota
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue football is 2-2 following a 28-26 win last week against Florida Atlantic, marking the end of its nonconference schedule. The team jumps right into Big Ten play with a tough road matchup against No. 21 Minnesota.
Recent history is on the side of the Golden Gophers, who have won the last four games against the Boilermakers. Purdue's last win in the series came during the 2017 season when it earned a 31-17 victory at Ross-Ade Stadium in coach Jeff Brohm's first year at the helm.
Entering Saturday's matchup, the Boilermakers are a 10.5-point underdog, according to the SI Sportsbook. The over/under was set at 53.5 points. The game is scheduled to kick off at noon ET inside Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
"We're definitely excited to go on the road and play a really good football team that's currently ranked, and deservedly so," Brohm said during his Monday press conference. "No one's really come close to them, they've dominated in four games. When people have scored, it's been against the backups at the end of the game. This team is really playing efficient football right now."
In its undefeated start to the season, Minnesota has an average margin of victory of 39.75 points per game through four games. It has held its opponents to just six points per contest.
The Golden Gophers currently boast the top-ranked rushing offense in the Big Ten, recording 294.5 yards per game on the ground. They've amassed at least 485 yards of total offense in all four of its victories this season.
Minnesota is coming off a dominant 34-7 victory over Michigan State on the road Saturday in which sixth-year senior quarterback Tanner Morgan registered 268 yards passing and three touchdowns through the air. But this team's bread and butter is its rushing attack.
Sixth-year senior running back Mohamed Ibrahim, despite returning from a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered at the beginning of last season, has recorded 13 straight games of 100 yards or more on the ground dating back to 2019. He has eight touchdowns on the year so far.
"The sound running game, once you start to want to commit more guys they're going to hit you on a deep pass over the top," Brohm said. "If they're allowed to do that, then they're just going to continue to roll. And at the same time, people underestimate their defense. Their defense has been lights out and is shutting people down."
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