Purdue's 'special team' returns to Indianapolis seeking Big Ten football title

INDIANAPOLIS – Aidan O’Connell, Payne Durham, Cam Allen and Jalen Graham were inside Lucas Oli Stadium in July, not just dreaming of making a return trip but confident it would happen.

That was during Big Ten Media Day where the four Boilermakers spelled out one of the team’s goals. And now, it comes to fruition.

Purdue checked off its first objective – winning the outright Big Ten West title – and looks to accomplish another goal Saturday when it plays No. 2 Michigan in the conference championship game in Indianapolis.

The Boilermakers had a manageable schedule heading into the season, and despite the 1-2 start, they finished winning seven of their last nine games to claim the outright division championship. It was an uneven path needing to overcome injuries, self-inflicted penalties, and inconsistent play to reach this point.

Purdue vs. MichiganWho has the edge in Big Ten championship game

ToughnessPlaying hurt hasn't stopped Purdue's Kieren Douglas from making impact

Charlie JonesReturns to Big Ten Championship in different role

Purdue vs. MichiganWhere to watch Big Ten Championship

And here they are. One game from a coveted championship.

“It means the world,” Durham said. “The trajectory of this program speaks to what it is. Big Ten championship games weren’t really on the table – let’s just go to a bowl game.

“Throughout my five years, that narrative has kind of shifted. I think that’s great for recruiting, I think that’s great for the younger guys and for us older guys who have seen the highs and lows. It’s kind of cool to be at the high moment of it.”

A victory gives Purdue a spot in the New Year's Six, possibly the Rose Bowl, but a loss likely sends the program to Florida to the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando or the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa to face an opponent from the Southeastern Conference. Both games are on Jan. 2.

'Special team'

The journey back to Indianapolis has been a satisfying run.

“Just going back to proving ourselves right,” Durham said. “Even after last season and going through the offseason, the guys that have been here for a long time and know what a special team looks like.

“This spring, we got together and said, ‘Guys, this can be a special team and you’re going to have your ups and downs. Every team does.' But getting here and seeing it all play out the way it did kind of proves that we were right, and we knew we had what it took to get here.”

From scholarship players, walk-ons to transfers, the Boilermakers bought into the goal. Receiver Charlie Jones, who joined the program after transferring from Iowa and arrived prior to summer conditioning, quickly saw the commitment from his new teammates.

“The team, especially in the locker room, were saying this is our year almost immediately when I got here,” said Jones, who leads the Big Ten with 97 receptions. “It’s something that hasn’t been done around here and something we want to accomplish.”

O'Connell emotions

With his arm around Marty Dittmar, the team chaplain, not many outside the program knew exactly what Purdue’s sixth-year quarterback was dealing with as he wiped away tears with a towel near the end of last week's victory over Indiana.

On Sunday, O’Connell announced his older brother, Sean, had died leading up to the Old Oaken Bucket game. O’Connell went home to grieve with his family and returned Wednesday to begin preparations and practice for Saturday’s game.

“I think he understands what we’re trying to do, and he puts in the time, and I think while it’s rough, it’s therapeutic for him to be around his buddies and teammates who care about him and we all do,” Brohm said. “I think he’ll be ready to go.”

Brohm allowed O’Connell’s personal situation to play out and “didn’t want to overwhelm him with anything that we have to get done to help us win.” When O’Connell returned, Brohm knew the veteran and team leader would be focused on Saturday’s game.

“It’s more about him taking the proper time to be with his family and make sure he gets those things taken care of,” Brohm said. “And of course, whenever he got back then it was full speed ahead. He’s played a lot of football and he understands what we’re doing, and I think we’re in a good position right now.”

Jones grew up playing youth sports with O’Connell and has a strong connection to his family. O’Connell is one reason why Jones made the move from Iowa, looking to showcase his skills in a pass-friendly offense.

But Jones understands the difficult time his childhood friend and his family are going through.

“I couldn’t be more proud of him," Jones said. "I try to tell him that at the end of the day, it’s just a game and family is more important than anything. For him to come out and play in a game (against Indiana) and play the way he did was just amazing.

“We’re just super proud of him. We’re all here for him, here for his family and just reinforcing that if he needs anything, we’re here for him. Just really proud of him and want him and his family to know that everyone has their back.”

Comfortable role

Throughout program history, the Boilermakers have pulled their share of upsets. Most of them are against teams ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the AP poll.

Purdue has nine wins from those meetings – the most of any program in the country as an unranked team – and Brohm is 3-0 against top-five teams since his arrival in West Lafayette in 2017.

Purdue has beaten Iowa and Ohio State when both teams were ranked No. 2. The Boilermakers are clearly comfortable in the underdog role, not only this year but leaning on the past.

“I think that’s where Purdue likes to be,” Durham said. “I think a lot of our players and coaches pretty much our whole careers we’ve been passed up on and that’s where we’re comfortable.”

The pressure is clearly on Michigan but not when it comes to the College Football Playoff. The Wolverines are likely one of the top four teams even if they lose to the Boilermakers based on what’s going on nationally and the victory over Ohio State.

The Boilermakers will still need to play a clean game, not a perfect one, but avoiding turnovers and penalties and taking advantage of every opportunity to keep the heavily favored Wolverines on edge. The winner of the West division has never beaten the East winner in the title game.

“There will be more pressure on Michigan, of course,” Brohm said. “They have a chance to really do something special this year and they're in a great position to do that. For us, this is a one-game shot to play in a championship game and roll the dice and see what we can do.”

Mike Carmin covers Purdue sports for the Journal & Courier and USA Today Sports Network. Email mcarmin@gannett.com and follow on Twitter and Instagram @carmin_jc

Big Ten Championship: Purdue (8-4) vs. No. 2 Michigan (12-0)

• Where: Lucas Oil Stadium

• Time: 8:17 p.m. Saturday

• TV: Fox

• Radio: WAZY (96.5)

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Big Ten football championship pits Purdue vs. Michigan Wolverines