UPDATE (Saturday 5:43 pm): Purdue victory over Michigan breaks 43-year losing streak
>>Print ViewPublication Date: 11/06/2009
Andrew Gatza | Senior Photographer
Offensive guard Zach Reckman lifts running back Ralph Bolden in the air in celebration after Bolden ran for a touchdown Saturday against Michigan at the Big House.
sponsored by
ANN ARBOR, MICH. - The Purdue football team went to Michigan Saturday and ended a losing streak dating back to before Neil Armstrong landed on the moon.
The Boilers went to Michigan Stadium, better known as the Big House for its 100,000-plus capacity, and rallied from a two-touchdown haltime deficit to pull out a 38-36 win and keep their bowl hopes alive.
Purdue hadn't won in Michigan since 1966, three years prior to the Apollo 11 trip to the moon. The Boilers hadn't even won a road game in two seasons.
"This is a huge team victory and a great game for the Boilermaker nation," Hope said. "We came here today to make history for our football team. What a great motivating factor, coming up to the Big House to make history. That's been the driving force all week for us."
Hope and his team need to win their final two games – at home against Michigan State Saturday and at Indiana Nov. 21 – to make it to a bowl game for the first time since 2007-08.
Purdue has already snapped several losing streaks this season. The first of the year came when the Boilers upset then-No. 7 Ohio State to end a string of losses to ranked teams at 19.
"I don't know when the last time Purdue beat Michigan and Ohio State in the same year was. I know we've done it, but I don't know when. It was a big win, even better than the Ohio State win, just because we knew we had to win," senior Brandon King said.
"That's huge for our football team," Coach Danny Hope added.. "It was an opportunity for our football team to make history. There were a lot of strings out there for our team this year, we beat a ranked opponent a couple weeks ago. This just adds to the special season we're trying to have for our team."