After a week off for both teams Minnesota and Purdue are back at it this week with the Big Ten opener for both teams. Purdue had a rough non-conference season, going 1-2 with a collapse at Nevada and a big home loss to TCU. Minnesota is 3-0, but could be 0-3 with three very narrow wins over South Dakota State, Fresno State, and Georgia Southern.
The big thing for Minnesota is that they are looking for a hot start to the Big Ten. After Purdue they play Illinois, Nebraska, Rutgers, and Maryland, so a 5-0 start to league play is possible. For Purdue, the Boilers are in desperate need of a win to keep bowl hopes alive. A Purdue victory rights things after the TCU loss and gets those bowl hopes back.
The biggest question is also about Purdue’s injuries. If Elijah Sindelar is back then Purdue has a chance. If not, we’re in trouble.