A game that was largely expected to decide the Big Ten West champion this time last week has lost a lot of its luster as both Purdue and Illinois lost their games last week. Just two weeks ago there was chatter that maybe this could be a late kickoff with College Gameday coming to town. Instead, these two teams are fighting to find a way to win the division and staring down a Noon kickoff. What a difference one week can make.
Regardless, Purdue has to win this game if it wants the glimmer of hope of winning the division to stay alive. It’s going to be a tough one as the Illinois defense has been one of if not the best in the country depending on the metric you’re using.