After Saturday’s game between Purdue and Central Michigan, the third meeting between the teams in 370 days, both sides will probably know each other like brothers.
The recent history between the Boilermakers (1-1) and Chippewas (2-1) has sided with Purdue, who has won each of the past two games.
One year ago, Purdue played Central Michigan in the heart of its nonconference schedule and jumped out to a 31-0 halftime lead. The Chippewas battled back in Purdue’s Ross-Ade Stadium to score 22 straight points before falling short, 45-22.
At December’s Motor City Bowl, the Boilermakers once again came out blazing, taking a 34-13 halftime lead before being pushed to the brink and kicking a game-winning field goal as time expired to win, 51-48.
Purdue head coach Joe Tiller now knows what to expect when the Chippewas and their star quarterback, Dan LeFevour, visit West Lafayette, Ind.
“You have to be cautious and you don’t take anything for granted,” Tiller said. “They are a very capable team. Certainly from an offensive point a view, they present problems.”
Purdue will be looking to bounce back after blowing a 20-3 lead against then-No. 16 Oregon early in the second quarter and losing in double overtime, 32-26.
“I think it was good for our team to step up and play against an opponent such as Oregon,” Tiller said. “We came up a little short but I think we improved as a team.”
Taking cover
There’s one guarantee about Florida Atlantic’s game at Minnesota this week – it’ll be a lot dryer than it was in East Lansing seven days prior.
The Owls (1-2) continue their northern Big Ten swing against the Golden Gophers (3-0) on Saturday. For Florida Atlantic, running its vaunted spread offense will be easier in the domed confines of the Metrodome than it was on the flooded field of Spartan Stadium.
“They’re, without question, in my mind, the best 1-2 team in the country,” Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster said of the Owls.
Minnesota has jumped out to a 3-0 record because of efficient red zone play and its plus-eight turnover margin, Brewster said. The Golden Gophers have one impressive win – a 42-17 drubbing of Bowling Green – on their record after finishing 1-11 last year.
Lions in hiding
Quietly, the most impressive team in the Big Ten this year has been Penn State.
Despite a litany of off-the-field troubles in the offseason, the Nittany Lions (3-0) have steamrolled Coastal Carolina, Oregon State and Syracuse and likely will tee off on tepid Temple (1-2) this Saturday.
Penn State has won its three games by a combined score of 166-37, but head coach Joe Paterno isn’t worried about his underclassmen getting too big of heads.
“The younger kids seem to understand the way the game is played today, if you’re not ready, you can get beaten,” Paterno said. “You just watch around the country and you can see that.”
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