If you read the preview post, you’d know how I feel about these stupid rivalry games that the Big 10 cooked up to try and increase interest in these games. I don’t know any Purdue fans who specifically care about the Illinois game more than most other Big 10 games, other than those who have a personal connection to the University, or extended interactions with Illini fans on Twitter (I’m thinking about deleting my account by the way; really torn on this one.) But alas, here we have a drummed-up rivalry game and the world’s cutest cannon.

That’s all fine and good, but I want Purdue to return to its roots when it comes to the cannon. Legend has it that the use of the cannon for this game originated in 1905, when a (probably drunk) group of Purdue fans brought a literal cannon to Illinois with the intention of firing it after the game to celebrate (?). Anyway, this plan clearly didn’t work, for obvious reasons but the symbol of the cannon is now a part of the Purdue-Illinois rivalry (?).

But this cannon is pathetic! What a sad cannon! You can carry it under one arm, like you would a child. Probably because of some dumb reason like “it’s safer while invoking its origin.” Bah! I spit thrice in the face of that reasoning!

Sports need a an injection of silliness / shear stupidity sometimes. No, not the type of stupidity that mar the faces of the sports we love such as ignoring violence against women. Like, harmless, but potentially harmful (but only to the one performing the act of stupidity) behavior. I don’t know what substances those students in 1905 were clearly huffing, but I fully support sports as a ridiculous spectacle that will frighten and confuse readers 113 years from now. So let’s huff some gasoline in a bag and see what ideas come to mind! (Let’s not actually do that)

Anyway, I talk about that because stupid fan behavior is more interesting a topic than this game. Which isn’t to say that it wasn’t fun; it was very much fun! But we’re starting to see something with this Purdue team, something that should make Purdue fans very happy.

They are starting to dominate a little bit. Not every game, not every quarter. But Purdue stepped on Illinois’ neck this afternoon and just never…let…up. Count me as a pro running up the score (and having the score ran up on you) at the college and NFL level. Purdue scoring 10 4th quarter points was perfect to me. Keep playing aggressive, keep throwing the ball, and if your opponent doesn’t want you to score, then maybe they can try harder to stop you.

As much as Purdue was helped by David Blough and his 377 yards passing, three TD passes, and one TD catch on offense, they were equally helped by the Illini’s AJ Bush and his inability to really do anything interesting. I told he is a good running quarterback, but he did only manager 24 yards on 20 carries today. He certainly can’t throw the ball. While his receivers dropped several very catchable balls, Bush often overthrew, or underthrew (his favorite) or wildly missed his targets.

Illinois is a bad team that’s somehow getting worse. Santa Lovie has no solutions for this program, and I’m sure the Illini faithful are looking forward to another disasterous rebuilding effort once he’s fired. It’s horrifying to watch. I’d definitely rather be Nebraska.

So Purdue moves to 3-3 and turns to an unforgiving second half of the season. Up next: #3 Ohio State at home. I’m certainly not expecting a win there, but I am seeing a football team that looks stronger, more confident with every series. After a rough start to the season, Purdue is looking like the team we’d want them to be. Let’s see if that’s enough to make the second half of the season interesting.