LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- You might create a better tagline, but, until then, I'm going with this:
Jeff Brohm's October Surprise. It's been a signature of his coaching career.
He did it to Urban Meyer and Ohio State.
He did it to Kirk Ferentz and Iowa.
He did it to P.J. Fleck and Minnesota.
Can he do it to Mario Cristobal and No. 6 Miami when the Hurricanes and their Heisman Trophy candidate Cam Ward crackle into L&N Cardinal Stadium at noon Saturday?
The sharpies have installed unbeaten Miami as 4.5 point favorite.
Louisville lost its last home game to SMU. The Cardinals had to rally deep in the fourth quarter to win at Virginia last Saturday. Miami has played like a program convinced that anything less than a spot in the 12-team national playoff will will a colossal disappointment this season.
Can Brohm and his squad create another October surprise? He's done it before.
Started in 2018. Ohio State was 7-0 and focused on winning a national championship. Purdue was 3-3 after starting 0-3 with losses to Northwestern and Eastern Michigan to kickoff Brohm's second season in West Lafayette.
Kickoff is set for noon.
Buckeyes by 12.5.
Purdue won, 49-20, on Oct. 20, 2018. You can place it high on the list of the most stinging defeats of Meyer's coaching career. Brohm will tell you that Meyer did not shake his hand after that one.
Ahead 21-6 after three quarters, Purdue put four more touchdowns on the Buckeyes in the fourth quarter on a day when David Blough threw for 378 yards and the Boilermakers rushed for another 161 yards.
Anything can happen once right?
Let's see you do it again Mr. Brohm. Well, Purdue did add a 38-36 victory over No. 16 Iowa later that season. But that came on Nov. 3. Probably better if I restrict the October Surprises to October.
Brohm and the Boilermakers did what they were not supposed to do again on Oct. 16, 2021. This time they were not lifted to victory by the home crowd. This one unfolded in Iowa City.
Ferentz and his Hawkeyes were ranked second in the nation, behind Georgia. The Hawkeyes won their first six, taking down three ranked teams, including No. 9 Iowa State and No. 4 Penn State. Actually the Hawkeyes were on a 12-game winning streak stretched over two seasons.
Purdue?
The Boilermakers went to Kinnick Stadium after losing two of their previous three games, including one at Notre Dame (sound familiar?) and another to Minnesota.
The sharpies liked Iowa by 11 points.
Purdue won, 24-7.
They intercepted Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras four times. Aidon O'Connell passed for 375 yards. David Bell had 240 yards receiving. Purdue never trailed.
"Basically, they outdid us in every category," Ferentz said.
Purdue demonstrated the Iowa win was not a fluke later that season by toppling No. 3 Michigan State, 40-29, as a 3-point underdog.
But that game was played on Nov. 6.
October Surprises must happen in October. Those are the rules.
It happened again in 2022, Brohm's final season with the Boilermakers before he returned to his alma mater.
This time the victim was Fleck and his Minnesota squad. The Gophers were not ranked nearly as high as the Buckeyes or Hawkeyes. But the record shows Minnesota was a healthy 9-point favorite for the game in Minneapolis. They were 4-0 and every win was by four touchdowns or more. Minnesota had never trailed at any point during the season.
Purdue?
Lost at Penn State. Lost at Syracuse. Barely beat Florida Atlantic.
The Boilermakers' defense was directed by Ron English and Mark Hagen, the same two guys who will direct U of L's defense against Miami. The same two guys social media has been grumbling about.
Purdue intercepted Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan three times. Devin Mockobee ran for 121 yards. Aidan O'Connell returned from an injury to complete 27 of 40 passes.
Purdue never trailed. Purdue won, 20-10.
Surprise, surprise. Not in October.
"It was a great team win against a team that was playing about as good as anybody," Brohm said after that one. "They were hot. They were playing well. They were dominating their opponents."
Today, it is Miami that is playing about as well as anybody. And it is Louisville in need of a Jeff Brohm October Surprise on Saturday at L&N Cardinal Stadium.
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