I was thinking about how playing for the Big Ten championship on Saturday is almost certainly the biggest game ever played in or coached by any member of the Purdue team. There may be a few exceptions.
But what would the next biggest game even be? Let's just take the last 5 years to cover the players and most of the current coaching staff.
2018 OSU? There are only a small handful of redshirt seniors left from that team.
2019 and 2020 are forgettable
2021 at #2 Iowa? Big upset but I don't remember a lot of build-up going into the game
2021 #3 MSU? Clinched bowl eligibility, just a fun all around game and party atmosphere inside Ross-Ade
2021 at #4 OSU? If we're including losses, this was a big game from the perspective of what could have been. Pull a third top 5 upset in one year and go to Indy instead of Iowa.
2021 Tennessee bowl game? Capped the first 9 win season since Tiller
2022 at Minnesota? Turned the season around. Nobody gave Purdue a chance
2022 at Wisconsin? Another loss, but again what could have been. A chance to get the Badgerilla off the back and take control of the division
2022 at Indinia? Win and the division is yours. Against the rival. On the road.
But what would the next biggest game even be? Let's just take the last 5 years to cover the players and most of the current coaching staff.
2018 OSU? There are only a small handful of redshirt seniors left from that team.
2019 and 2020 are forgettable
2021 at #2 Iowa? Big upset but I don't remember a lot of build-up going into the game
2021 #3 MSU? Clinched bowl eligibility, just a fun all around game and party atmosphere inside Ross-Ade
2021 at #4 OSU? If we're including losses, this was a big game from the perspective of what could have been. Pull a third top 5 upset in one year and go to Indy instead of Iowa.
2021 Tennessee bowl game? Capped the first 9 win season since Tiller
2022 at Minnesota? Turned the season around. Nobody gave Purdue a chance
2022 at Wisconsin? Another loss, but again what could have been. A chance to get the Badgerilla off the back and take control of the division
2022 at Indinia? Win and the division is yours. Against the rival. On the road.