Saturday's game is last call for Purdue
Keith Thomas
Assistant Sports Editor
The two words the Irish hate to hear most are "last call."
This is Purdue quarterback Drew Brees' last call. This is the last time Brees gets to blow into South Bend and avenge the 31-30 Notre Dame win of two years ago at Notre Dame Stadium. Brees hopes that come Saturday afternoon, the Irish's new least favorite words are Purdue Boilermakers.
It's also time for this Boilermaker squad to make the Leprechaun leap from football team to football program.
Of course the media has put this pressure on the Boilers to take the next step every season since gentlemen Joe Tiller rode in to West Lafayette on his white horse from the Wyoming Cowboys program he helped turn around. And yes, the pressure to improve was doubled last season amid high expectations of being able to play with the tough kids in the conference. So, why say the same things that were said just one year ago? Because it didn't get done. It's that simple and you won't find anyone involved with Boilermaker football that disputes this claim.
Now, after beating up on a couple of MAC teams — outscoring Central Michigan and Kent State by a total of 93-10 — it's time for Purdue to take that step and take advantage of the Limping Irish, who lost some key players last week against No. 1 Nebraska.
Considering Purdue still plays Big Ten bullies Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin and Ohio State, beating Notre Dame Saturday afternoon in front of a sold-out Irish crowd is absolutely vital to the success of this Boiler season.
Notre Dame won't be a pushover either. They're coming off of two well-played football games, beating Texas A&M and taking the 'Huskers to overtime.
And although Notre Dame is starting an untested quarterback — thank you, Nebraska — it is still Notre Dame. And, it's still in South Bend.
However, now that the Irish are done tap-dancing through the Big XII, please allow the Big Ten to show you why you didn't want to join this conference (i.e., playing five to seven top-25 caliber teams every year).
Purdue fans, believe it or not, do have some love for the Irish. They may even thank Notre Dame for accepting former Boiler head coach Jim Colletto, thus allowing Joe Tillerific to enter and show this generation what it feels like to win football games.
Brees has been upgraded to a strong wind when compared with the 1998 team that visited Notre Dame, and he's hungry for revenge.
He said he hasn't been able to forget about that game and won't until he is able to lay it (or the Irish secondary) to rest.
With a win on Saturday, Purdue will have the most wins witnessed by the "Touchdown Jesus" at South Bend by an opposing team with 10 — one more than USC and Michigan State.
It all starts in South Bend for the Boilers, who want more than anything this week to remain guardians of the Shillelagh Trophy.
If the Boilermakers want to stop being the Rodney Dangerfield of college football, they have to prove they can win the big games. This Saturday's noon contest with the Limping Irish is certainly no exception.
The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
All Sports Stories for Friday, September 15, 2000
