This Big 10 Championship game will see No. 2 Michigan (12-0) take on Purdue (8-4) at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday at 8pm eastern. After a wild Big 10 weekend, we now have a matchup that most did not see coming. Last season, Michigan defeated Iowa in the Big Ten Championship. It was supposed to be a rematch this year, but a stunning loss to Nebraska knocked Iowa out, opening up the doors for Purdue. Saturday will mark the first game between Michigan and Purdue since 2017. Michigan holds a dominating lead, 45-14, in the series between the two teams, including defeating Purdue four straight times. Can the Purdue Spoilermakers make an appearance one more time to pull off the massive upset?

Michigan

Michigan is headed back to Indianapolis for the second straight year to play in the Big 10 championship. The Wolverines are coming off a 12-0 regular season, and they beat both of their rivals Michigan State and Ohio State this season. They will lose their workhorse back, as Blake Corum will have season ending knee surgery. Sophomore Donovan Edwards will have to step up and try to replace him. Edwards had a really good game against Ohio State, so there is potential he can do just that again.

The X factor for Michigan again will be J.J. McCarthy. He threw for 263 yards and three scores while rushing for another touchdown against Ohio State last week. He will need to have good games like this the rest of the way if Michigan wants to win it all. The Boilermakers have allowed three teams to throw for more than 300 yards on them in a game: Penn State, Maryland, and Nebraska. Purdue has limited four teams to less than 200 yards this season through the air. With the Oline for Michigan being a dominating unit, the need to give McCarthy time. If they can give him time, there is a chance this game gets ugly and Michigan could win big.

Purdue

Purdue is 3-0 against AP top-5 teams under Jeff Brohm. Brohm and the Boilermakers have another opportunity to face a top-3 opponent on Saturday against No. 2-ranked Michigan in the Big Ten championship game. This gritty Purdue team has just found ways to keep the season alive. This will be Purdue’s first appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game, becoming the ninth Big Ten school to reach it since its beginning in 2011.

Aidan O’Connell has had a pretty good year this year, but has had some games where he wasn’t the best. King Doerue looked like he would be the guy on the ground, but injuries took him away. In his place, the walk-on Devin Mockobee not only earned a scholarship, but he has been a monster on the ground for Purdue. He is a story that anyone should read up on, and just the way he has played this year has been so inspirational. Charlie Jones is the head of the wide receiver room. He has become a stud and one of the best receivers in college football since moving on from Iowa to transfer to Purdue.

What to Expect

I do not think it is crazy to say almost everyone will be on Michigan to win this game. Michigan had four goals when this season started. The goals  were to beat Michigan State and Ohio State, win the Big Ten, and win the national championship. Purdue is 8-4, but this is a good 8-4 team. The Boilermakers lost three games they very easily could’ve won, but dumb mistakes haunted them like they have all season. This will be the best team that Purdue has faced all season.

If they want a realistic chance of upsetting Michigan and ruining their season, Purdue will have to play amazing to perfect ball on all sides of the ball. Purdue might not be a pushover, but they will have to earn this victory. The West has never won the Big Ten championship either, with the East going 8-0 in the game. The average margin of victory for the East in the first eight meetings has been 20 points per game. Only three of the eight games have been decided by one score, and all came in the three season span from 2015 to 2017. With the last Big 10 title coming in 2000 with Drew Brees, Purdue will have not only Michigan, but history to go up against. This has the potential to be a very interesting Big 10 Championship game.

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