Michigan State-Michigan, 2021
Purdue-Michigan State, 2018
Here's an early look at Purdue's ninth opponent of 2021, the No. 5-ranked Michigan State Spartans
Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 6, 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Ross-Ade Stadium
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 57,236 | Tickets
Records: Michigan State: 8-0 overall, 5-0 Big Ten; Purdue 5-3, 3-2 Big Ten;
Series notes: Michigan State has won the last eight in the series to pull to a 36-28-3 advantage. The Boilermakers last victory in the series was Nov. 4, 2006, in East Lansing when kicker Casey Welch came off the bench with 4:49 left in the game to hit an 18-yard game-winning field goal. It was Welch's only field goal of his Boilermaker career. The two teams haven't played since Oct. 27, 2018, when Michigan State subdued Purdue 23-13 the week after the Boilermakers upset No. 2 Ohio State. The Spartans haven't played in Ross-Ade Stadium since a 45-31 win over the Boilermakers on Oct. 11, 2014. The Spartans were ranked No. 8 in that game. The last time Purdue faced a top-5 Michigan State team in Ross-Ade Stadium, Chris Daniels caught a Big Ten record 21 passes for 301 yards from Drew Brees as the Boilermakers won 52-28 over the Nick Saban-coached and fifth-ranked Green and White in 1999.
TV: ABC
Season Stats: Purdue | Michigan State
A couple of quick storylines:
What makes Michigan State tick?
Transfer portal star Kenneth Walker III has been great all year. He is second in the nation in rushing with 1,194 yards and first in average per contest with nearly 150 per game. Yet Rutgers and Nebraska held Walker under 100, so maybe there is something the Boilermakers can learn from game tape.
But MSU has been the ultimate bend-but-not-break defense ranking just 103rd and giving up over 400 yards per game. Purdue ranks 17th in that category.
Offensively, MSU is 33rd nationally, where Purdue is 77th. On paper, Purdue matches up well. Michigan is 26th in turnover margin, with 14 takeaways and just nine giveaways.
Purdue's running game came to life at Nebraska, and Michigan State's rush defense has given up 100 yards in its last three games. David Bell has been held under 100 yards in each of the last two games, something that hasn't happened often since early in his freshman year. Will that change?
All told, Purdue should match up against Michigan State. At least on paper.
Is this another good time for Purdue to play a highly ranked opponent?
Purdue caught No. 2 Iowa at a good time, what about Michigan State? Good fortune fell on MSU against Michigan. Not only did it trail 30-14 at halftime, but it had just about every controversial call go its way in the game. Michigan had a defensive touchdown overturned which was among those fateful plays. Of course, MSU also battled back from a 30-14 second-half deficit, and that is impressive in its own right no matter what the officials did.
The last time Purdue beat two top five ranked teams in the same season was 1960 when it beat No. 3 Ohio State at home and No. 1 Minnesota in Minneapolis. A year later, coincidentally, it was Iowa and Michigan State, but the Spartans were ranked No. 6. In '61, the Boilermakers shut out No. 5 Iowa, 9-0, in a driving rain in Ross-Ade Stadium. Two weeks later, it treated the home faithful to a 7-6 win over Sparty.
Still, Purdue has lost two straight at home and needs to get that corrected in what should be a large crowd in Ross-Ade late Saturday afternoon. But with a 5-3 record, Purdue is off to its best start sine 2007 when it was started 7-2 and finished with an 8-5 record.
Coach Jeff Brohm talks Michigan State
"They have done a great job in the transfer portal getting 14 players. You have to be sound in every phase of the game to beat them.
"Kenneth Walker III has had an outstanding season. And they can throw it well when they need to. Yet, we need to force them to throw it this week."
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