In their Big Ten Championship Game debut, Purdue was unable to prove they could hang with college football’s elite. After keeping things close with a tremendous first half, Michigan pulled away, leaving Purdue in the dust.

Compared to Michigan's other wins this season, Purdue played quite well overall. Missed opportunities in the red zone, costly mistakes in key spots and a Wolverine surge in the second half led to the Boilermakers' loss.

Those handful of factors that ended up playing a significant role in Purdue’s defeat. Let’s take a look at the factors that decided Purdue vs. Michigan on Saturday night.