MORE TIME WARPS: Sept. 5, 2004: Purdue pummels Syracuse, 51-0 | Sept. 12, 1992: Purdue stuns Cal, 41-14 | Sept. 19, 1998: Purdue stymies UCF and Culpepper, 35-7 | Sept. 26, 1981: Purdue stuns Notre Dame late, 15-14 | Oct. 3, 1970: Purdue shocks No. 3 Stanford | Oct. 10, 1998: Brees throws NCAA record 83 times at Wisconsin | Oct. 17, 2009: With help from 'Superman,' Purdue dumps Buckeyes

With Purdue’s game at Wisconsin cancelled as the Badgers try to contain a COVID-19 outbreak, we break out another “Time Warp,” looking back at big Purdue games on dates the Boilermakers were slated to play on their original 2020 schedule. Today—November 7—let’s look back at the Boilermakers’ big win at Michigan on this date in 2009.

The setup: Danny Hope’s debut was bumpy as the former Purdue offensive line coach took over for Joe Tiller, whose 12-year run was finished.

The Boilermakers opened 2009 with a 52-31 win vs. Toledo … then lost five in a row: a two-point loss at Oregon (38-36), a home loss to Northern Illinois (28-21), a three-point defeat vs. Notre Dame (24-21), a loss to Northwestern (27-21) and a defeat at Minnesota (35-20). Purdue was looking to gain some mojo as it arrived in Ann Arbor with a 3-6 record.

Purdue had shown it was capable of big things earlier in 2009 by knocking off No. 7 Ohio State, 26-18, on Oct. 17, which broke a 19-game losing skid to ranked foes. But Purdue hadn’t won in Ann Arbor since 1966, when it took a 22-21 decision with Bob Griese at the helm.

There was little reason to think the Boilermakers were poised to pull the upset on his sunny day in Ann Arbor in front of 108,543 fans. The week before, the Boilermakers had lost at Wisconsin, 37-0.

Did Purdue really have a chance in the Big House?

What happened: The Boilermakers shocked the world!

Purdue trailed, 28-10, before rallying for 28 second-half points to stun the Wolverines in the Big House. An onside kick sparked the rally.

After Purdue had cut Michigan’s lead to 30-24 with 5:13 left in the game, Boiler kicker Carson Wiggs executed the onside kick. It worked, with Purdue corner David Pender making the recovery.

On the next play, Purdue fifth-year senior signal-caller Joey Elliott hit Cortez Smith with a 54-yard TD pass to give the Boilermakers a 31-30 lead. And Purdue never looked back.

Elliott hit 28-of-39 passes for a career-high 367 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also had a rushing score. Elliott’s top target was Keith Smith, who made 11 grabs for 84 yards. Ralph Bolden ran 16 times for 104 yards and two TDs.

“You can’t put it into words,” said Elliott after breaking Purdue’s 17-game losing streak in Ann Arbor.

The defense did its part, especially late. End Ryan Kerrigan's sack of Wolverine signal-caller Tate Forcier on a two-point try helped seal the victory for the Boilermakers.

After the game, Hope brought o-lineman Zach Reckman across the field to meet Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez. Why? Reckman had been suspended one game following the Sept. 19 loss to NIU after he delivered a late hit.

The Big Ten had suspended Michigan linebacker Jonas Mouton the week before Reckman, leading Rodriguez to say he would be watching the Big Ten for similar acts. And he said at the time he had seen an example but didn’t specify. Hope figured it was Rodriguez who had turned in Reckman.

It was a bizarre moment in an often bizarre era under Hope.

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Why it mattered: With a 4-6 record after the win, the Boilermakers’ bowl hopes were still alive with games left vs. Michigan State and at Indiana. The improbable victory at Michigan also showed Hope’s ability to rise to big occasions, though his four-year tenure was marked by maddening inconsistencies. This was a perfect example. A season in which Hope toppled Ohio State and Michigan ... Purdue failed to make a bowl.

The aftermath: After opening with a 1-5 record in Hope’s first season, the Boilermakers closed with a 4-2 mark. But it was too little, too late, as Purdue finished 5-7 (4-4 Big Ten). There would be no bowl, but at least the Boilermakers knocked off Indiana in the finale.

This arguably was Hope’s most talented squad--one that Tiller wanted to stay around and coach for one final season--yet Hope failed to reach the postseason. It was an ominous sign for Hope, who did produce two bowl bids during a four-season tenure that failed to reach expectations. He was gone at the end of 2012. That ushered in the Darrell Hazell era, perhaps the worst hire in program history.

This was a bad Michigan squad, as it would go on to finish 5-7 overall and 1-7 in the Big Ten under Rodriguez, who was in his second season in what would be a dreadful three-year tenure that produced a 15-22 mark (6-18 Big Ten). The Wolverines were in the midst of a five-game losing skid to close the season when they fell to Purdue.

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