Purdue comes up roses; Northwestern pounds Illinois to tie for the Big Ten title, but ... it's the Boilermakers.(Chicago Tribune)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. _ Having lost to Notre Dame, Purdue isn't the best team in its own state.

But it is the best team in the Big Ten. And that's all that matters.

With a Ross-Ade Stadium sellout crowd of 69,104 baying in the frigid evening air, the 17th-ranked Boilermakers whipped Indiana, 41-13, on Saturday to wrap up their first conference title since 1967 and their first Rose Bowl berth since 1966.

Purdue shares the championship with Northwestern and Michigan. But it will have Pasadena all to itself.

"As the clock ticked down, we turned to each other on the sideline and we said, `Hey, we have a team that will never be forgotten,'" said tailback Montrell Lowe, who romped through the Hoosiers for 208 yards.

Purdue will face Pac-10 champion …