For the Third Year In a Row The Hoosiers Can Go Bowling With a Bucket Game Win

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

The annual Old Oaken Bucket Game is always a big deal in the state of Indiana. It’s important for bragging rights, recruiting and program momentum. There is no denying that this year’s clash, the 120th meeting of the Bucket game, between the two 5-6 rivals looms even larger than usual. Indiana is going for their fifth straight victory in the series and this is the first meeting between program leaders Tom Allen and Jeff Brohm. Perhaps most importantly, both teams need a win to reach bowl eligibility and earn themselves a postseason berth and all the perks that come with it.

“Very excited about having a trophy game this week. We all know the Bucket is a huge priority to our program. We take a lot of pride in this game,” Tom Allen said. “Really, really blessed to be a part of one of the top rivalries in the entire country. I've been several places where we have had some trophy games -- not every place has this kind of a rivalry game with this much passion and intensity. Being raised in this state and seeing this game for many, many years as a younger person, and just so much I know goes into it and I know so much is on both sides. So we fully understand the magnitude of the game. We understand that both teams have five wins and know what is at stake for both sides. Love that.”

Allen sees a different Purdue program than the one he coordinated against last season. “Ton of respect for Coach Brohm and what he's done at Purdue in a very short time. He has really transformed them. They're playing with a ton of confidence. Their defense is extremely talented and playing well. Their offense, he's a tremendous play caller. Just does a really good job schematically and maximized the talent he has there. Special teams, really are on point. So really respect them…they've gone on the road and played well. To win at Iowa was impressive. We understand we have to be at our very, very best this week. Going to compete to prepare that way and going to fight to do everything we can to win this game.”

Both teams enter this contest coming off of their best performance of the season (and possibly the best performance for both in several seasons). Indiana housed Rutgers on Senior Day in a game the Hoosiers dominated from the start and won 41-0. Purdue went to Kinnick Stadium and defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes in impressive fashion, 24-15. The win against the Hawkeyes was Purdue’s third Big Ten victory and it came from a mixture of big pass plays and terrific defense. In fact, the Boilers surprising season is largely due to their improved defense and this contest will feature a pair of top 35 defenses, something no one could have seen coming two seasons ago. Purdue comes into the contest with the 35th ranked total defense while IU enters with the 22nd ranked defense.

“They’ve got a lot of upperclassmen on that side of the ball. Very mature group of players. They just got a new system and coaching staff. I kind of liken it back to a year ago, we were the most improved defense in the country. I think they are probably going to have that award at the end of this year statistically,” Allen said of Purdue’s defense. “You just got to tip your hat to them and say, hey, they’re doing a heck of a job. Coach Holt does a great job. Once again, his staff was together at Western Kentucky. They bought into what they’re doing.”

Prior to holding Iowa’s offense in check, the Boilers kept red-hot Northwestern to 23 and Illinois to ten points. Their pass defense has been solid but the front seven has been exemplary against the run. While Purdue deserves a ton of credit for their defensive improvement, it is fair to point out that they haven’t played a gauntlet of top-notch offenses. The Hoosiers have a passing attack that will challenge Purdue’s secondary and an emerging running game that is coming off of their best performance of the season and has found some footing with Morgan Ellison and Cole Gest as the running backs.

On the other side of the ball, the Boilers will roll with Elijah Sindelar at quarterback. He began the season as the starter but in a rotation with David Blough. Blough briefly unseated him before suffering an injury that has sidelined him for the remainder of the season. The story has played out remarkably similar what occurred with IU’s Richard Lagow and Peyton Ramsey. Sindelar played the best game of his career in Iowa City and Richard Lagow was very sharp against Rutgers. Both teams have big-play threats at receiver and both squads are feeling better about themselves than they have in quite a while. In a rivalry game filled with passion where huge stakes are on the line, turnovers could play a pivotal role. The Boilers are tied for 44th nationally in turnover margin while IU is tied for 111th but the Hoosiers have been much better in that department in the last two weeks. After sitting at 3-6 and staring a disappointing debut season under Tom Allen in the face, the Hoosiers are peaking at the right time and hoping to launch themselves into a bowl game that looked highly unlikely a couple of weeks ago. The Purdue Boilermakers are hoping to snatch back the Bucket and reach a bowl game in Jeff Brohm’s first campaign. Tom Allen wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It’s going to be an absolute dog fight. Things are going to happen. You're on the road. They're going to have their fans. They're playing for the same thing we're playing for. All different levels. I think you have to be able to handle the adversity that's going to strike. I don't know what that's going to look like. No one can predict that. But the team that handles that the best, to me, is the one that will find the way to win the game. It's going to happen in these situations. I've seen in rival games crazy things, crazy plays, changes of momentum, and shifts and all that. You just got to ride it. Can't get too excited when things go your way early and can't get too down if things don't. Better just play it. Sometimes these games go to overtime and are decided on crazy plays like that. So that's just a matter of mental toughness and perseverance and grit, all those things we take so much pride in here at Indiana,” Allen said.