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3 Keys for Michigan Football in Big Ten title game vs Purdue

By Chris Peterson

COLUMBUS, OHIO - NOVEMBER 26: Running Back Donovan Edwards #7 (R) and Quarterback J.J. McCarthy #9 (L) of the Michigan Wolverines celebrate after a college football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on November 26, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. The Michigan Wolverines won the game 45-23 over the Ohio State Buckeyes and clinched the Big Ten East. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OHIO - NOVEMBER 26: Running Back Donovan Edwards #7 (R) and Quarterback J.J. McCarthy #9 (L) of the Michigan Wolverines celebrate after a college football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on November 26, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. The Michigan Wolverines won the game 45-23 over the Ohio State Buckeyes and clinched the Big Ten East. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) /
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Michigan football can’t afford to overlook Purdue on Saturday in the Big Ten title game and here are three keys to a Wolverines victory. 

For the second year in a row, Michigan football has qualified for the Big Ten championship game and a trip to Indianapolis.

Awaiting for the Wolverines is an unranked Purdue team that finished the season 8-4. Don’t underestimate the Boilermakers though. Aidan O’Connell is as good a quarterback as there is in the Big Ten throwing the football and honestly, the dropoff from last week is more at the wide receiver than the QB position.

Charlie Jones is dangerous and Michigan will be familiar with him for his time at Iowa, but for Purdue, this is also a huge moment. The Boilermakers haven’t won a Big Ten title or gone to the Rose Bowl since the year 2000 and that’s where a win would get them on Saturday.

Ohio State or Michigan may not want to play in the Rose Bowl this season, but it would be huge for Purdue, and here are three keys for Michigan football to avoid that happening.

Treat this game like a championship game

In other words, Michigan needs to approach this game just like it did the Ohio State game. The game plan was spectacular and Jim Harbaugh said the staff treated it like the Super Bowl.

Michigan needs to pull out all the stops this week too. As I wrote earlier this week, I think the Wolverines are in the playoff regardless of what happens, but at the same time, if Michigan wins, it avoids Georgia in the first round and that’s huge.

Plus, winning a Big Ten championship is one of the major program goals. Michigan football hasn’t won back-to-back titles in the title game era and not since 2003-04. That would be a tremendous achievement, regardless of what could happen in the playoff.

So, I think Michigan will be focused but it’s important. There can’t be a letdown. Purdue beat two top-5 teams with this quarterback a year ago and is talented enough and well-coached enough to give the Wolverines trouble.

Last season, Michigan pulled out some trick plays and did treat the game just like Ohio State and that’s what needs to happen Saturday. Forget the playoff, winning this title means everything.

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