Purdue knocks off No. 3 Michigan State 40-29 to further muddle College Football Playoff picture

If you’re a top-five team in the Big Ten and you see Purdue coming up on your schedule, run.

The Boilermakers added yet another victory over a top-5 team, making it their 17th such win as an unranked squad, with a 40-29 win over No. 3 Michigan State in West Lafayette. Purdue was only a slight underdog on the moneyline and given the team’s history, it was hard to say this was a true upset. In the high-stakes world of college football though, this was big.

The Spartans knew they were in for a fight once Purdue started running trick plays for touchdowns. Michigan State did come back from a 16-point deficit against Michigan last week, but the Spartans simply didn’t have enough time in this game. Heisman contender Kenneth Walker III had a productive game with 136 yards and a touchdown, although it was underwhelming in comparison to his past performances.

This Purdue victory once again blows up the College Football Playoff picture. The Boilermakers basically took Iowa out of the running with their upset win over the Hawkeyes earlier in the season, and now put Michigan State behind the eight-ball in the conference. The Spartans will likely fall out of the top 4, with Ohio State likely moving into the playoff field.

Michigan State and Ohio State will play each other in what essentially becomes an elimination game for both teams. Purdue is tied for the lead in the Big Ten West and could end up going to Indianapolis for the championship game.