Boilers try for elusive road win against Michigan
>>Print ViewPublication Date: 11/06/2009
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Seven consecutive Purdue coaches have gone to Michigan Stadium and come out without a win.
First-year Purdue coach Danny Hope will try to prevent that number from reaching eight when he leads his team into the Big House on Saturday. The Boilers haven’t won in Ann Arbor since 1966, when Jack Mollenkopf was the head coach at Purdue. Even the legendary Mollenkopf didn’t end his career with a win there, losing in 1968 before retiring after the ’69 season.
Hope said he didn’t use the decades-long losing streak as motivation for his team this week.
“They can read,” he said Tuesday. “They’re aware of it. To me it makes it more exciting. It makes it a greater challenge. It makes it a bigger coup, bigger stakes. That’s exciting. To get an opportunity like this, that’s living a dream. It should make them more excited to go to Ann Arbor. It does me.”
Purdue did win its last meeting with Michigan, a 48-42 home win Nov. 1, 2008. The Boilers have lost by at least four touchdowns in each of their last five trips to Michigan though, dating back to a 5-0 loss in 1995.
The Wolverines opened this season 4-0, but have won just one of their last five games. They have games left against Ohio State and at Wisconsin, so a sixth win, making them bowl-eligible, may be elusive if they fail to beat Purdue. Purdue must win each of its last three games to become bowl eligible.
Purdue (3-6, 2-3 Big Ten) senior quarterback Joey Elliott said playing in the Big House, which has a capacity well over 100,000, is a dream come true for him.
“Whenever you play in the Big Ten there are a lot of huge games, and this is one of them,” he said. “It’s one of those you put on your checklist as a player and a quarterback. It’s a big stadium with a huge crowd. A lot of great quarterbacks have played there. A lot of great players have played there. It’s a great opportunity.”
Purdue and Michigan (5-4, 1-4 Big Ten) kick off at noon Saturday.