College Football

Purdue upsets Michigan State, putting the Spartans' CFP hopes in jeopardy

Updated Nov. 7, 2021 1:26 a.m. ET

So much for that big win over Michigan.

Just a week after knocking off the rival Wolverines, No. 3 Michigan State fell at the hands of upset-minded Purdue on Saturday, putting its College Football Playoff hopes in jeopardy.

The win equals Purdue's first win over MSU since 2006 and its 17th win over a top-5 ranked team all-time, the most of any school.

It's also the Boilermakers' third consecutive win over a top-5 team.

Last week, the Wolverines had no answer for MSU running back Kenneth Walker III, who torched UM for 197 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 22 carries.

But this week, the Boilermakers had their own not-so-secret weapon in the form of wide receiver David Bell, who has starred for Purdue all season.

Bell caught 11 balls for 217 yards and a score, and weirdly enough, when the Boilermakers upset then-No. 2 Iowa on Oct. 16, Bell also caught 11 passes for more than 200 yards –– 240, to be exact –– and found the end zone once.

Saturday was Bell's fifth 100-yard receiving game of the season and the Boilermakers are 4-1 in those games.

Purdue quarterback Aidan O'Connell –– a receiver needs someone to pass it to them, right? –– showed what he is made of as well, completing 40 of 54 pass attempts for a career-high 536 yards and three scores, and a 175.8 passer rating.

The 598 yards allowed by Michigan State are the most it has allowed this season and the Spartans haven't given up that many passing yards since 2015 against Baylor in the Cotton Bowl (603).

Coming into Saturday, MSU was giving up 424.4 yards per game total, which included allowing 301 passing yards per game.

They also allowed an opponent to score 40 points for the first time all season.

With the loss, the Spartans (8-1, 5-1) fall to second in the Big Ten East, trailing No. 5 Ohio State (8-1, 6-0). The two squads will face off on Nov. 20 at The Shoe.

Here is how social media reacted to Bell, O'Connell and Purdue's upset: