Can Jeff Brohm Lead the Boilermakers’ to Victory in Week 11?

The Purdue Boilermakers enter into their Week 11 game at Ohio State as +20.5 underdogs. They’ve served as the Big Ten upset express, conquering Iowa and Michigan State. Can they do it again?

Purdue University head football coach Jeff Brohm thinks so. Find out why Brohm can lead the Boilermakers to victory despite the long NCAAF odds.

The Jeff Brohm Career Story: Always the Little Guy

Jeff Brohm’s long college football career started in Louisville. Legendary coach Howard Schnellenberger recruited Brohm as a quarterback.

During his collegiate playing career, Brohm fought through many injuries, including a fractured ankle.

After a seven-year NFL career despite going undrafted, Brohm once again found himself under Schnellenberger’s wing at Florida Atlantic. After that, he began his head coaching career at Western Kentucky.

He started his head coaching tenure with an upset victory against Vanderbilt and propelled WKU into the AP Poll top 25. It was clear that Brohm was a coach on the rise, so Purdue offered him a contract in late 2016.

The Boilermaker Resurgence

Brohm took the Boilermakers to a bowl game during his first two seasons. Unfortunately, college football programs are tough to rebuild. Nevertheless, Brohm continues his steady progress.

This year, fifth-year starting quarterback Aidan O’Connell and star receiver David Bell lead the way. During their recent upset victory against Michigan State, O’Connell threw for a whopping 536 yards.

While Purdue isn’t an elite Big Ten team, they continue to trend in the right direction.

Embracing the Underdog

Coming into this matchup against Ohio State, Brohm’s Boilermakers are 17-6 ATS as an underdog since 2017. This team reflects the hardworking, scrappy personality of its coach.

Brohm’s time in Purdue has seen them keep it close against better teams. The Boilermakers are an incredible 7-1 ATS as double-digit underdogs during Brohm’s tenure.

Purdue sits as a 20.5 road underdog. So is it reasonable to think Brohm can spark his team to a close game or victory?

They Can (But Will They?)

The numbers look daunting for the Boilermakers. The OSU offense is second-most productive in the NCAA, scoring an average of 44.9 points per game.

While mediocre in many categories, the OSU defense limits opponents rushing attack to an average of 109.1 yards per game. In addition, their bend but don’t break style only allows 19 points per game.

Those numbers look like a tall order, and they are. However, a deeper dive reveals a bit more. Though the OSU offense is fearsome, they’ve racked up high totals against inferior opponents.

In the past two weeks, OSU scored 33 and 26 points, respectively. Compounding that is a weak pass defense that a mature quarterback like O’Connell can exploit.

The opening quarter will tell the tale. To have a chance, Purdue will have to quiet the rowdy Columbus crowd early. If they fall behind, Ohio State should hand Brohm a rare ATS defeat as an underdog.

Jeff Brohm is the Underdog

Jeff Brohm spent his career embracing the underdog role, and this week is his most formidable challenge yet as a head coach. Can he deliver another upset victory? Or is Ohio State destined for an easy win?

Brohm’s record as an underdog is impressive, and BetMGM offers the best in Indiana sports betting to lay action on this scrappy team. Sign up today and receive a risk-free first bet worth up to $1,000.