ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Winning is a great deodorant and Michigan needs a victory for its funk.
The slumping Wolverines (5-4, 1-4 Big Ten) host Purdue (3-6, 2-3) on Saturday, desperately needing a sixth win to become bowl eligible to avoid possibly turning a strong start into an ugly ending.
"Hopefully after we beat Purdue, it will come down and we'll have some pressure off," defensive end Brandon Graham said. "We know we let a couple games slip."
Michigan started 4-0 with all home games in September, then hit the road — and the skids.
The Wolverines have lost four straight Big Ten games. If they lose to Purdue at home for the first time since 1966, a 5-7 finish is realistic with a game next week at Wisconsin and the traditional finale against Ohio State in Michigan Stadium.
"People thought it would come easy," offensive guard Steve Schilling said. "We had a lot of confidence when we had four straight wins and things were going well."
Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez acknowledged his players lost confidence after they couldn't score from the 1 at Illinois last week and ended up losing 38-13.
Rodriguez, though, said it's important that the Wolverines learn from their mistakes and move on.
"You don't want that game to beat you twice," Rodriguez said. "Bad game, bad half, particularly the second half. We've got to learn from it and move on and press forward, and I think we'll do that."
Purdue coach Danny Hope said many of the same things this week, coming off a 37-0 loss at Wisconsin.
The Boilermakers responded from a 1-5 start well enough to stun Ohio State and beat Illinois in consecutive weeks, only to get routed by the Badgers.
Purdue can still qualify for a bowl by winning at Michigan, against Michigan State and over rival Indiana on the road.
That puts them in desperate company with the Wolverines.
"They're a lot like our team," Hope said.
The Boilermakers plan to stick with senior quarterback Joey Elliott after he played the worst game of his career against Wisconsin.
"He's always done a great job of bouncing back from any adversity we've had all," Hope said.
The Boilermakers have faced a lot of adversity at Michigan Stadium, going home winless in 16 straight games since quarterback Bob Griese led them to victory.
Did Hope plan to bring up that fact with his players?
"Well, they can read, so they're fully aware of it," Hope said. "To me it makes it more exciting. It makes it a greater challenge. It makes it a bigger coup, a bigger stake."
College Sports
Michigan really needs to beat Purdue for 6th win
- College Sports
-
-
Trio of Ravens honored
Anderson University’s Katie Lee has been named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Central Region Team on Tuesday. Senior Monica Crowe and freshman Yardley Collett were named to the NFCA All-Central Region third Team.
-
Carthage ends AU’s season
Anderson University’s sudden scoring woes continued Saturday and it led to the Ravens’ elimination from the NCAA Division III softball tournament.
-
Anderson falls to Manchester in final
Manchester College defeated Anderson University 5-0 to claim the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament and claim the automatic bid for the Division III National Tournament.
-
Ravens' road rougher
Defending NCAA Division III national softball champion Linfield scored six runs in the first inning and blanked Anderson University 8-0 on Friday.
-
Ravens rough up Reds
Carthage College got to see up close and personal both barrels of the shotgun the Anderson University softball team used to dominate conference foes all year.
-
Crean defends decision to end Kentucky series
Indiana coach Tom Crean says the Kentucky series will end because the Hoosiers didn't want to play another game in Indianapolis.
-
AU set for power struggle
Keeping the ball in the park when the Carthage College Lady Reds are at the plate will be a key element for the Anderson University Ravens softball team this afternoon.
AU will play today at 2 p.m. at Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington, Ill., as it tests the NCAA Division III tournament waters in this double-elimination event. -
Former Arabian prepares for Pac-12 championships, cheers Luck
Stanford sophomore Ellie McCardwell was in the training room with some of the Cardinal’s football players two weeks ago when the Indianapolis Colts selected university legend Andrew Luck with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.
A two-time state champion in the pole vault at Pendleton Heights, McCardwell said she’ll never forget the reaction as Stanford athletes around the room cheered one of their own. -
Rick Teverbaugh: Ravens deserve attention
Perhaps it is akin to the “too close to the forest to see the trees” syndrome.
But for whatever reason, I suspect there is some extent to which the monumental accomplishments of the Anderson University softball team have gone underappreciated by area sports fans in general. -
Ravens learn softball draw
The Anderson University softball team learned the location and first-round foe for its entry into the NCAA Division III tournament on Thursday.
- More College Sports Headlines
-
