Purdue has not looked like a special, dynamic team that should be contending for a Big Ten division title. But the line between what should happen and what does happen in 2020 is thinner than freshman year Vic Law.
The Boilermakers and ‘Cats teamed up to end Iowa’s hopes by a combined five points. Then Purdue went to Champaign and defeated a bad-again Illinois squad 31-24 before their big Week Three showdown with Wisconsin was called off due to the concerning COVID situation in Madison.
Settling from the dust of the Big Ten’s crazy first three weeks of play, Purdue and Northwestern find themselves sharing the driver’s seat of the West, and should the Badgers’ have another game canceled, Saturday evening’s matchup all but decides the division.