The Associated Press

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A season full of near misses has Purdue on the brink of its biggest miss of all - a bowl game.

After trips to the Alamo Bowl (in 1997 and 1998), the Outback Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sun Bowl, the Boilermakers' five-year bowl streak appears to be in serious jeopardy.

Purdue (4-5, 2-3 Big Ten) needs wins in two of its final three games to become bowl-eligible. The Boilermakers haven't missed postseason play since Joe Tiller became coach in 1997.

"I think that's probably one thing that if I had to do all over again, I probably wouldn't let as much emphasis be put on five-in-five," Tiller said.

"Success is a journey, not a destination for us. Maybe we took some things for granted. That's one of the things in the back of my mind I wonder about."

A victory won't be easy Saturday against No.3 Ohio State (10-0, 5-0). Purdue is 0-3 this year against ranked opponents - Iowa, Michigan, Notre Dame - and has lost seven straight against Top 25 teams.

MARSHALL: Quarterback Byron Leftwich doesn't know if his sore left leg will be better in time for him to play Tuesday against the Miami RedHawks.

"I'm trying to do whatever it takes," Leftwich said Wednesday. "You can do all the treatment in the world, but it's all about time and when your body can recover. Hopefully, it can. But Tuesday will be pushing it. Tuesday will really be pushing it."

OREGON: Tailback Onterrio Smith hopes his left knee has healed enough for him to play Saturday at Washington State.

Smith missed last week's game against Stanford but has returned to practice for the 15th-ranked Ducks (7-2, 3-2 Pac-10), who will play their most important game of the season against the fifth-ranked and conference-leading Cougars (8-1, 5-0).