2011 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl The 2011 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl , the 15th edition of the game , was a post - season American college football bowl game that was held on December 27 , 2011 at Ford Field in Detroit , Michigan as part of the 2011 – 12 NCAA bowl season . The game , which was telecast at 4 : 30 pm ET on ESPN , featured the Western Michigan Broncos from the Mid - American Conference versus the Purdue Boilermakers from the Big Ten Conference . The Purdue Boilermakers defeated the Western Michigan Broncos 37 – 32 for the victory . Teams . The 2011 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl was the third ever football meeting between the two universities . Purdue led the all time series 2 – 0 coming into the game . Purdue Boilermakers . Purdue make its first bowl appearance since 2007 , when they defeated Central Michigan in the 2007 Motor City Bowl . In 2011 , the Boilermakers finished sixth in the Big Ten Conference . They came into the game with a 6 – 6 overall record . They were led by an outstanding special teams ( first in the Big Ten in kickoff return average and second in the nation ) unit that helped them start with favorable field position . Purdue played the game without their leading rusher Ralph Bolden , who tore his ACL in final game of the season . Purdue ' s spread offense is led by Akeem Shavers in rushing ( 89 rushes , 370 yards , six TDs ) , Caleb TerBush in passing ( 163 – 264 , 1 , 804 yards , 12 TDs ) , and in receiving by both Justin Siller ( 45 catches , 430 yards , one TD ) and Antavion Edison ( 43 catches , 561 yards , three TDs ) . Western Michigan Broncos . Western Michigan enters the bowl with an 7 – 5 overall record . The Broncos are making their first bowl appearance since 2008 when they lost to Rice in the Texas Bowl . It is the Broncos third bowl in the last five seasons . They are led by their passing offense ( first in the MAC in passing yards and touchdowns and eighth in the nation ) . Three of the Broncos ' losses are by four points or less . The Broncos are led in rushing by Tevin Drake ( 102 rushes , 570 yards , four TDs ) and quarterback Alex Carder ( 114 rushes , 253 yards , four TDs ) ; Carder in passing ( 299 – 445 , 3 , 434 yards , 28 TDs ) ; and Jordan White in receiving ( 127 catches , 1 , 646 yards , 16 TDs ) . White leads the NCAA FBS in receptions and receiving yards and is second in receiving touchdowns . Game summary . Taking advantage of a Purdue fumble , the Broncos scored first on a 49 - yard flea flicker to go up 8 – 0 after making a two - point conversion . Purdue responded by with its own touchdown to cut the deficit to 8 – 7 at the end of the first quarter . The Boilermakers then recovered an onside kick to keep the ball in their possession . Purdue was unable to capitalize on the onside kick , fumbling the ball at WMU ' s 14 - yard line . On the next drive , however , WMU threw an interception , which led to a Purdue field goal . On the next drive , WMU scored on a one - yard touchdown pass to Josh Schaffer to take the lead 15 – 10 . On the ensuing kickoff , though , Purdue ' s Raheem Mostert returned the kickoff 99 - yards for a touchdown , making it 17 – 15 Purdue . The Boilermakers then recovered their second onside kick of the game on the kickoff . This time , the Boilermakers were able to capitalize , going up 24 – 15 on a Reggie Pegram rushing touchdown . After the Broncos turned the ball over on downs , the Boilermakers added to their lead on a 19 - yard Carson Wiggs field goal to make it 27 – 15 at the end of the first half . In the third quarter , the Broncos were able to cut the deficit 27 – 18 on a 21 - yard John Potter field goal . Purdue then added to their lead on a 33 - yard passing touchdown to make it 34 – 18 . On the next Broncos drive , quarterback Alex Carder ' s pass was intercepted by Purdue ' s Gerald Gooden at Purdue ' s six - yard line . However , Gooden fumbled the ball on the return , giving the ball back to the Broncos at the Purdue 29 - yard line . Continuing the drive , the Broncos scored on a one - yard Tevin Drake rushing touchdown make it 34 – 25 going into the fourth quarter . In the fourth quarter , the Boilermakers added to their lead on a 26 - yard Carson Wiggs field goal to make it 37 – 25 . On the next drive , WMU turned the ball over on an interception . The Broncos were able to get the ball back after forcing Purdue to punt . On the next Broncos drive on a fourth - and - 10 play at Purdue ' s 12 - yard line , Carder fumbled the ball after being sacked . Purdue ' s Ryan Russell recovered the ball but fumbled on the return , giving the ball back to the Broncos . Continuing the drive , the Broncos cut the lead 37 – 32 on a five - yard touchdown pass to Chleb Ravenell . After forcing Purdue to punt , the Broncos had one last chance to win the game . However , Carder fumbled the ball , giving the ball to the Boilermakers . The Boilermakers were then able to run the clock out to seal a victory . With the win , Purdue won its first bowl game since the 2007 Motor City Bowl . With the loss , WMU fell 0 – 5 all time in bowl games . Scoring summary . Source