Ryan Kerrigan News

What if? It's a legitimate question to pose in regard to the Purdue football team's 2009 season.

Here's the second half of my interview with Purdue head coach Danny Hope. For Part I, click here.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- It would be easy for Purdue football players to play the 'what if?' game.

Here we are, in the aftermath of another Oaken Bucket battle, poised to address the big-picture questions when it comes to Purdue and Indiana football, and it starts with the most obvious one: What was Bill Belichick thinking on that fourth-and-two call? Sorry.

When Coach Danny Hope took over the Purdue program, he talked about the possibility of several Boilermakers becoming the best in the league at their positions.

What might have been was a question for later. For now, on a cooling Saturday night, it was celebration time.

Purdue has turned two Indiana turnovers and a blocked field goal into 21 points and leads 21-7 at halftime.

Advantage Indiana Bill Lynch has kept the team's spirits up. Purdue photo Advantage Purdue Carson Wiggs has kicked eight field goals from at least 40 yards When: 3:30 p.m. today Site : Memorial Stadium , Bloomington.

Looks like it's time for another eye-for-an-eye Oaken Bucket adventure. Indiana and Purdue are back at it for football bragging rights, and if the postseason is a next-season goal, blast away the disappointment by knocking somebody into tomorrow.

His teammates call him Superman already, so what could junior defensive end Ryan Kerrigan possibly want for a super power? He answered that and other random questions this week.

My biggest problem with college football awards is that they're often based too much on preseason hype rather than on what happens between September and December.

Matchup : Michigan State 5-5, 3-3 Big Ten; Purdue 4-6, 3-3. Kickoff : Noon, Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Ind.

With backup defensive tackle Nick Mondek out with a lower leg injury, Purdue could tweak its defense against Michigan State Saturday.

Purdue will look the same to Michigan State, only different, when the football teams collide Saturday in West Lafayette, Ind.

Line: Michigan State by 2. Series Record: Michigan State leads 30-28-3. Last Meeting: 2008, Michigan State, 21-7. What's at Stake Purdue needs a win to keep its bowl hopes alive.

So long, road losing streak. Goodbye, 43 years of frustration. Welcome back, postseason hopes.

It's time for Purdue to stop messing around, win its last two games, become bowl eligible and hope to spend the holiday season far from home.

Purdue didn't have just one key performer in its streak-breaking 38-36 victory at Michigan.

FACTS & STATS: Site: Michigan Stadium -- Ann Arbor, Michigan. Television:BTN. Home Record: Purdue 3-3, Michigan 5-1. Away Record: Purdue 0-3, Michigan 0-3. Neutral Record: Purdue 0-0, Michigan 0-0. Conference Record: Purdue 2-3, Michigan 1-4. Series Record: Michigan leads, 41-13. GAME NOTES: The Michigan Wolverines will once gain try to earn bowl- ...

Michigan desperately needs a sixth victory to become eligible for a bowl. If the Wolverines lose to Purdue at home for the first time since 1966, they could turn a 4-0 start into a 5-7 flop and Rich Rodriguez would have another miserable offseason.