Purdue Game: A Chance to Narrow the Great Divide

Submitted by MGoShoe on

Dave Revsine has the following Michigan related stats from his latest Big Ten Numbers post.

34: According to the fabulous website cfbstats.com, Michigan has 34 plays this season of 30 yards or more. That is the most in the nation.

19: Purdue has just 19 plays of 20 yards or longer. That is the fewest in the nation.

The timing of Purdue’s meeting with the high-powered Wolverines is, shall we say, less than ideal for the Boilermakers.

127: The Boilers have allowed 127 points over their last three outings – their most in a three game stretch since 1993.

Of course, you could pore much further through the record books and never find a stretch quite like the Wolverines are involved in.

1879: Michigan has allowed at least 33 points in five straight games. That’s a first in a football-playing history that dates back to 1879.

The Boilermakers are allowing an average of 42.33 points over the last three games. I see that average increasing and Michigan's five-game streak of giving up at least 33 points ending on Saturday.

Prediction based on next to zero evidence: Michigan rolls 45 - 23, narrows the Great Divide between our offensive and defensive performance, and makes us (somewhat foolishly) believe they can upset Wisconsin.

lhglrkwg

November 11th, 2010 at 9:54 PM ^

i see no reason to think that we can hold purdue to less than 30. we always let up 30+ to big ten teams regardless of actual offensive ability. 35, 34, 38, 41, and 65(45) this year.

but. i also see no reason that purdue will hold us under 40 or 45 point unless we just shoot ourselves in the foot perpetually

thus, we win. 52-34

Nick

November 11th, 2010 at 11:31 PM ^

Minnesota held them to 28, Toledo to 20.  Our defense is probably slightly better than theirs and on their best day, is significantly better.

Purdue blows.

We held Uconn to 10 and ND to 24.  Caveats of Fraser sucking balls, Todman fumbling and Crist being hurt all apply, in addition to the fact that our D seems to have regressed somewhat with injuries, but we CAN hold them under 30.

Vegas has this game at a total of 61 and Mich by 13, so obvs. they see a 37-24 type game.  They have been off on some games this year (ahem PSU +3) but they see Purdue's offense as incapable of fully taking advantage of our D and their D as unable to stop their 120something-point 3 game swoon.

jmblue

November 11th, 2010 at 10:03 PM ^

I think we just might turn in a defensive performance that can be called good without the "if you forget about the score" disclaimer.   At least I hope so - Purdue's averaging 17.6 points per game.

Wolverine Pride

November 11th, 2010 at 11:18 PM ^

Purdue has won 2 in a row, but to say they have a better program than Michigan is not accurate.  As far as a divide, the divide over the past 100 years has been very wide, lately Purdue won a few but haven't gained in program status as a whole.  Have they been ranked this year?  They have a stud DE, who else?  Do they have a coach that has a proven history of winning at a D1 program?  Which BCS game are they going to?  Oh, that's right they're 4-5. 

Purdue in the same conversation as Michigan Football, not worth discussing. 

Brown and Blue

November 12th, 2010 at 12:38 AM ^

I'm not in any way taking anything for granted, or anything like that.  But, forget about narrowing the great divide or anything like that.  If we win, we're 7-3.  That sounds really good to me.  I'd like our record to be better, but that's a legitimate record after 10 games, if you know what I mean.  Maybe that says more about the last two years than anything else, but still 7-3 seems like something that would be really nice tomorrow afternoon.  

tlh908

November 12th, 2010 at 1:05 AM ^

I will be happy after the win. I am just hoping RR has one play in which Forcier comes and takes out Hope on the sideline. Then RR can walk Forcier over to Hope after the game.

rcm

November 12th, 2010 at 7:57 AM ^

to get an early 2 score lead, and keep it the rest of the game.  That will make me happy.  I want to see a 10-14 point lead, and a stop on D