College Bowl Predictions: Broncos Will Upset Purdue and Capture First Bowl Win

Purdue is another one of those teams that has fallen into a bowl game. At 6-6, they are the poster-team for the question, should there be new bowl berth criteria? They will be exposed in this game by a dangerous and underrated offense.

They will take on the Western Michigan Broncos in the Little Ceasars Bowl at Ford Field in Michigan. That may sound like it'll be a largely pro-Broncos crowd, but it's still the Midwest, and the Boilermakers' faithful will make the trip from Indiana to have their voices heard.

The teams did have two common opponents. Western Michigan lost to both Illinois and Michigan in the regular season. Purdue defeated Illinois, and lost to the Wolverines. These outcomes were inconsequential as both were blown out by Michigan and both Illinois games were decided by one score. 

The Broncos can put points on the board. The combination of QB Alex Carder to WR Jordan White is among the most prolific in the country. White would be a household name if he played at a bigger program. Though the Boilermakers corners know this, they don't have the talent to slow this passing attack down.

Purdue is 52nd in the nation against the pass, while the Broncos offense produces 35.6 points per game, mostly through the air. Purdue's edge is on the ground, but they will be without leading rusher Ralph Bolden. The Boilermakers will also be without several key defensive players, including leading tackler Dwayne Beckford, who was suspended for a suspected DUI.

The Boilermakers will lose the battle to control tempo in this game, and that is something that will be essential for them. They cannot win a shootout against Western Michigan. They have too many key players out in the running game and on defense to effectively slow the Broncos attack.

This is a down year for Purdue and the Big Ten in general. Many of the conference's bowl berths are questionable and this game will prove to be a microcosm of the 2011 season. The Broncos will capture the win and tally one of the biggest victories in the school's history.

Prediction:

Western Michigan 30 Purdue 20