The Ultimate Big Ten championship preview: Will Spoilermakers strike, or another West champ get crushed?
The Big Ten championship is on.
The Big Ten championship game is on Saturday. The East and West divisions play each other. Purdue is the only team that has beaten a ranked team in the last 50 years. Jeff Brohm's team hasn't won the Big League since 2000. The game takes place in a city where most of the team's alumni live. It's an hour from the campus. They haven't been to a Big Tens championship since 1929. Their last victory came against No. 2 Ohio State. In the inaugural championship in 2011, Wisconsin beat Michigan State in 42-39.
The Wolverines have won 14 straight Big Ten games. They beat Penn State, Ohio State and Maryland. The Wolverine's resume is strong enough that they are almost certain to be in the College Football Playoff even with a loss. Purdue beat Iowa to reach the title game. Nebraska beat Indiana to give Purdue the Old Oaken Bucket. The game will take place in Indianapolis. It will be the first time that a Big League team has won the championship.
Blake Corum is out for the season with a knee injury. Donovan Edwards is expected to replace him. Michigan's offense is now more potent. The team's quarterback, JJ McCarthy, is coming of age. Purdue's pass defense is susceptible to big plays. The Boilers are 19th in the country with 12 interceptions, returning 3 of them for touchdowns. They are also 33rd in total defense and 20th on third-down defense. Their pass defence is 87th nationally. It has allowed 9 completions of 40-plus yards.
Purdue has no players on the Big Ten's 3 all-defensive teams. Jalen Graham is second on his team with 48 tackles. Michigan blockers often get out to the second level, paving the path for 28 carries of 20 or more yards against Purdue this season. Michigan will try to stop this by stopping the running of Edwards and McCarthy.
Purdue finished last season with a memorable 48-45 Music City Bowl win over Tennessee and opened this year with 35-31 loss to Penn State. The Boilermakers averaged 36 points per game in September, 29.5 points in October and 20.3 points after Halloween. Purdue's offense is near the middle of the road nationally. Michigan's defense has the 9th-lowest red zone touchdown percentage.
Purdue and Michigan are playing in the Big Ten championship game. Charlie Jones and Payne Durham are the key players for Purdue. They are capable of beating Michigan's secondary. Michigan is 3rd against the run and 4th in yards per carry. It also allows the 4 th fewest gains of 20 yards or more. Payne and Charlie Durham have a good connection. Michigan nickel Mike Sainristil might have his hands full against Durham. He has already done it against Ohio State tight end Cade Stover. The game is taking place in Chicago.
Michigan has the special teams edge. The Wolverines are 7th in red zone scoring. Purdue has had punt protection issues and is without Branson Deen. Mazi Smith will play despite a felony weapons charge. O’Connell temporarily left the team to attend the funeral of his older brother. He died unexpectedly in the week leading up to the Indiana game. It will be another test for him. His brother died in a week before the game against the Hoosiers.
The Big Ten East champion Michigan will play in the championship game against Purdue. Michigan is built from the inside out and owns both sides of the line of scrimmage. The Wolverines are 3rd nationally with 20.9 points per second half, while allowing a nation-best 5.4 points a second. Purdue's defense ranks 71st with 12. 4 points allowed per 2nd half. The Boilermakers can keep it close for a half or even take a narrow lead into the locker room.
Michigan will beat Purdue in the Big Ten championship game.
