Purdue's men's basketball team is No. 1 in the USA Today coaches and Associated Press media polls, while Michigan is No. 2 and 3, respectively. Both teams are 7-0.

Three takeaways for Steve Pikiell from Rutgers' trip to Las Vegas that bear watching against the top two college basketball teams in the country.

1. Among the 15 seasons in the data set, Michigan’s current rating is highest at this point in the season, and Purdue’s is the second-highest. Simply by the numbers, you could argue Michigan and Purdue are performing better than any team of the last 15 seasons.

As a result, Michigan jumped four spots in this week’s poll to No. 3. Auburn, which bounced back with a win over St. John’s after losing to Michigan, moved up to No. 20. Gonzaga, which had looked very solid up until this point, also moved up a single spot to No. 11.

Against Purdue, Michigan has totaled two wins over the past two matchups. The two teams are tied ATS (1-1) in those meetings while the scoring went over the total both times. Purdue has put up 49 fewer points than Michigan in their past two games.

Spencer Porath, a Brownsburg native, sneaks the ball above the crossbar for a 50-yard field goal make. It came after an intentional grounding by Ryan Browne, his first mistake though not blemish, that forced a fourth-and-21 and loss of 11 yards.

The NCAA released its first NET rankings of the 2025-26 college basketball season. Where do the Boilermakers stand after a 7-0 start to the year?

It might not have been pretty but Michigan still came away with the 21-16 victory over Purdue. A large part of that was because of running back Jordan Marshall, who had 25 carries for a career-high 185 yards and three touchdowns.

Purdue ranks 17 th in the Big Ten in pass defense, and with Michigan running back Justice Haynes’ status in question, this is a chance for the Wolverines to get their talented young quarterback back on track. Underwood throws for three touchdowns, while Michigan’s defense largely bottles up a Purdue offense that lacks playmakers.