The trip to West Lafayette has been an issue for Ohio State Football

The Ohio State football team has pretty much had their way with the Big Ten Conference as a whole since the turn of the century. That is except for when they go on the road to West Lafayette, Indiana. In what can only be explained as one of the most confusing statistics in Ohio State football history, the Buckeyes have a losing record when playing Purdue in West Lafayette since the year 2000.

The Boilermakers are a shocking 5-3 against the Buckeyes at home. No one else in the conference even comes close to that record when playing Ohio State, and if not for a “Holy Buckeye,” game in 2002, that record would be 6-2.

The only two times Ohio State has gone into West Lafayette since the year 2000 and-handedly won, as they do at home when they play the Boilermakers, was a 56-0 trouncing in 2013 and a 23-7 victory in 2007.

The last time Ohio State made the trip to West Lafayette was in 2018. That nightmare of a game witnessed an entire fanbase rally behind the inspiring story of Tyler Trent, whose dying wish was to watch his beloved Boilermakers defeat the Buckeyes. On that night, not even a record-setting performance by Dwayne Haskins could stop Purdue, who won 49-20.

Not to give Ohio State any bad mojo heading into this game, but Tyler’s younger brother Ethan Trent is a lineman on this Purdue team.

The good news for Ohio State is that Jeff Brohm is no longer the head coach for Purdue. Brohm is quickly building a winning program at his alma mater Louisville, which is 6-0 and coming off a dominating win over Notre Dame. In his place at Purdue is Ryan Walters. The former Illinois defensive coordinator has had a difficult start to his tenure in West Lafayette.

The Boilermakers are 2-4 with losses to Fresno State, Syracuse, Wisconsin, and last week’s 20-14 loss to Iowa, where the Hawkeyes managed to win despite only having six completions all game, none of which were to wide receivers. Walters however, can erase some doubt with the fanbase that he is the right man if he can do what his predecessors did before him, and somehow pull off the upset over Ohio State at home.

With a win on Saturday, Ohio State will become bowl-eligible and remain in the hunt for both a Big Ten Championship and a birth to the College Football Playoff. Ohio State is ranked third in the AP and Coaches Poll. More importantly, a win could bury some bad 2018 feelings for Ohio State football fans, who still see Rondale Moore breaking tackles in their sleep.