Michigan Football: 3 bold predictions vs. Purdue in Week 4
1. Purdue pulls off an upset in West Lafayette
It’s been a tough couple of years for the Purdue Boilermakers.
Over the last decade, the Boilermakers have only had two winning seasons under former head coaches Joe Tiller, Danny Hope and Darrell Hazell.
But, oh, what a difference a year can make.
After firing Darrell Hazell six games into the 2016 season, the program hired former Western Kentucky head coach Jeff Brohm to lead the 2017 incarnation of the Purdue Boilermakers.
While he wasn’t the highest profile coaching prospect in the nation, Brohm led Western Kentucky to a 30-10 record over his three yeas and fielded the top-ranked scoring offense in all of college football in 2016.
And Purdue’s athletic director took notice.
Even though higher profile coaches like Les Miles were available, the team choose to take a chance on Brohm’s ability to replicate his Conference USA success in the Big Ten.
And so far the results have been even better than expected.
Brohm’s Boilermakers have fielded one of the most potent Purdue passing games since Drew Brees: currently ranked 35th in the nation in passing, having amassed 860 yards and 10 touchdowns in three games.
After losing Brohm’s Purdue debut to the Louisville Cardinals in a 35-28 nail-biter, the Boilermakers defeated Ohio in Week 2 and then pulled off a surprise blowout victory against Missouri.
Related Story: Penn State Football: 5 overreactions from win over Pitt
And that momentum could lead the Boilermakers to their first statement win of Brohm’s tenure at Purdue against the No. 8 ranked Michigan Wolverines in front of their home crowd.
Much like Michigan, Purdue’s defense has held their opponent’s offenses largely at bay, averaging less than 20 points per game in each of their first three games, including a 35-3 upheaval of Missouri.
But unlike the Wolverines, the Boilermakers have had no trouble moving the ball on offense, a trend that should only grow stronger as the team becomes more and more comfortable in Brohm’s scheme.
And this could be the difference at Ross–Ade Stadium.
Next: NFL Mock Draft 2018: Complete first round after Week 3
If Purdue does pull off a win on their home turf, it would not only be a major win for the program, but also one of the biggest upsets of the entire college football season.