First Look: Michigan

Here’s an early look at Purdue’s Big Ten Championship Game opponent, the Michigan Wolverines.

Time: Saturday, December 3, 8:00 p.m.

Location: Lucas Oil Stadium

Surface: FieldTurf

Capacity: 67,000 (tickets)

2022 schedules/records: Michigan 12-0 (9-0 Big Ten) Purdue 8-4, (6-3 Big Ten)

Series notes: The Big Ten Championship Game will mark the 60th meeting between Purdue and Michigan, as the Wolverines enter with a decisive 45-14 advantage in the series which dates back to 1890. Though there’s plenty of history between these two teams, there’s a real lack of recent history. This will be the first meeting between Purdue and Michigan since September 2017, when Michigan defeated Purdue 28-10 on a scorching hot afternoon in Jeff Brohm’s first season. Purdue’s last win against Michigan came in “The Big House” in 2009, when the Boilermakers defeated Rich Rodriguez’s Wolverines for the second-straight season with a 38-36 victory.

TV: FOX

Early line: Michigan -16.5

Join GoldandBlack.com for just $1

STORYLINES TO WATCH

A first time for everything

2022 marks the first time Purdue will have played in a Big Ten Championship Game, as the Boilermakers never made the game as part of the Leaders Division or the West Division before now. 2021 was Purdue’s closest call, as Purdue finished a game behind Iowa in the West Division standings.

It didn’t look promising for Purdue entering the weekend, as they needed to win themselves and Nebraska to upset Iowa. Despite their role as a heavy underdog, the Cornhuskers pulled a 24-17 upset in Iowa City on Friday, allowing Purdue to control their own destiny entering Saturday’s Old Oaken Bucket game. With their 30-16 win over Indiana, Purdue secured its first trip to the Big Ten Championship Game.

Another “first” that could be broken this weekend? Since the establishment of the East and West divisions in 2014, the East owns a 8-0 advantage in Big Ten Championship Games. Wisconsin, Iowa and Northwestern each have taken multiple swings at Big Ten East foes, but the East team left victorious in all eight matchups to this point. With the current division structure likely to end with the Big Ten’s addition of USC and UCLA ahead of the 2024 season, the West is running out of time.

Winning ways

Purdue’s season can best be described as one with ups and downs, but the Boilermakers finished the season on a modest three-game winning streak. After a win over Indiana State came sandwiched around a pair of losses, Purdue went on a nice four-game win streak to put them in a great position in the Big Ten West. They made things difficult following consecutive losses to Wisconsin and Iowa, but the three-game win streak to close the season put the Boilermakers in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Purdue won two of its three cross-divisional matchups against East Division opponents this year, falling to Penn State and defeating Maryland and Indiana. Of those three, it was the Terrapins who gave Michigan the toughest challenge, as Maryland fell by a touchdown at Michigan Stadium in September. Michigan handled both Penn State and Indiana with ease in the month of October.

Return to Lucas Oil Stadium

Though Saturday will mark Purdue’s first appearance in the Big Ten Championship game, it won’t be Purdue’s first game in Lucas Oil Stadium. The Boilermakers made their Lucas Oil Stadium debut in 2014, falling 30-14 to Notre Dame in their Shamrock Series event. Later, Jeff Brohm’s first game as Purdue’s head coach came at Lucas Oil, as Purdue fell to Louisville 35-28 to open the 2017 campaign. Boilermaker fans will hope that the third time can be the charm for Purdue to win a game in “The House That Peyton Built”

Team	Rushing offense	Passing offense	Total offense	Penalty YPG	TO Margin
Purdue	97	21	52	56.08	+1
Michigan	5	91	24	32.92	+7

FBS Rankings

Team	Rushing defense	Passing defense	Total defense	Scoring offense	Points allowed
Purdue	37	59	33	66	41
Michigan	3	11	2	7	3

Brohm on the Wolverines

“Michigan is one of the best teams, if not the best team, in the country. Their front seven will be the best we have seen but they are a capable package at every position on the field.

“Sure, there is more pressure on Michigan as they have a chance to have a really special season. As coaches we have to put in a couple of wrinkles to find a way to hurt Michigan. Michigan’s defense just doesn’t give up big plays but we will have to be physical at the point of attack to be competitive.

“I attended the Big Ten championship game and was impressed with how every seat was taken and that it was such a loud environment. I attended the national championship game weeks later and the Big Ten championship game environment was louder.”