Saturday’s game against the Scarlet Knights might be the last chance this Purdue team has to win a football game this season. That’s not a good feeling, but maybe it helps the team focus on the matchup
as they find a way to win?
I asked the staff for their predictions for this weekend’s contest.
Ledman (7-0):
As the lone writer who has gotten every single game right this season, I feel like I’m a bit of an authority on this football team. Is that true? Probably not, but at least I can feel out the vibes of this team. The vibes heading to Northwestern were bad. Somehow, right now, they are worse. Purdue looked listless against Northwestern, but despite this, there were signs of improvement from the defense over the last couple of weeks. With Browne most likely out for this one and Singleton taking over, I think there might be just enough of a push to get this Purdue team over the hump and grab their first power conference victory since the Eisenhower administration (someone might need to fact-check me on that). I’ll take Purdue to eek one out.
Purdue 28
Northwestern 24
Kyle (5-2):
Purdue is sliding and is even considered an underdog to Rutgers at home this week.
Not great!
It seems as if Ryan Browne will be out, maybe the QB change gives a spark to this dormant offense, that scored 0 points at NW last week.
Give me Purdue….
Purdue – 24
Rutgers – 20
Travis (3-4)
This is Purdue’s last realistic shot at a win because let’s admit it, we’re not beating Indiana or Ohio State at home, and winning at Michigan or Washington is unlikely. The Boilers desperately need one, too. It feels like they are getting worse every week. The team that looked really solid in the first half at Minnesota running the ball is gone, but maybe Malachi Singleton brings it back with the start this week? Rutgers was really bad last week, but Purdue was worse offensively. This could be a rock fight.
Rutgers – 10
Purdue – 7
Ryan (6-1)
This game feels like the last shot for Purdue to reasonably get a win this season, considering they still need to take on Ohio State and Indiana at home, as well as Washington and Michigan on the road. What gives me a twinge of hope is that there is very little game film on Malachi Singleton, so perhaps Rutgers will be caught off guard. However, I am worried by the fact that Rutgers moves the ball downfield very well, even though they have struggled more in conference play. As I said on the Boiler Alert Podcast, I don’t feel great about this prediction, but I chose Purdue at home for homecoming in their de facto Super Bowl.
Purdue: 24
Rutgers: 21
Casey
Maybe the malaise has set in. Purdue is no longer looking particularly competitive. The QB position is as questionable as it appeared all off-season, and the secondary is in a state where it probably wouldn’t matter if Purdue’s offense were operating well. Or maybe it’s just basketball season, but it’s certainly starting to feel like the last two seasons. I’ll be in Kentucky watching the best basketball team in the country take the court again. So really, what am I even doing answering this email?
Ta-ta for now
Purdue: 22
Rutgers: 35
Drew
It’s a Big 10 basement brawl in West Lafayette, Indiana this weekend, as two bad college football teams try and figure out who can find something that works on Saturday.
Ryan Browne is doubtful but I’m not sure there is much that separates Browne from Singleton at the moment. I’m interested to see what the offense looks like with a game plan built around Singleton’s running ability, mainly because that’s the offense I assumed Purdue would run this season before Browne somehow ended up at a more functional program when he transfered back from North Carolina.
Maybe Singleton helps unlock Mockobee in the run game?
Anyways, I like Purdue in this one and it’s also why I don’t gamble on sports. No one should like Purdue football right now.
Purdue: 24
Rutgers: 17
Jed
This is probably Purdue’s last chance this year to say they have a realistic chance of winning a game without some massive upset. That being said, there isn’t a lot to be hopeful about this homecoming matchup at Ross Ade with Ryan Browne likely being out with an injury he sustained during one of the most disappointing losses Purdue has suffered in recent years.
The hope is that you have to hit rock bottom under a rebuild at some point, and maybe that was last week, where it really looked like Purdue reverted back to what it looked like under Ryan Walters. Undisciplined, bad, boring football will garner no interest in a program trying to rebuild and rebrand itself under Barry Odom, who has preached tough, smart, hard-nosed football. Purdue showed none of those qualities last week, but hopefully it turns around against Rutgers.
I got burned bad in calling for not only a Purdue win, but a resounding one. I’m not doing that again this week, as I don’t have the confidence in the offense with Malachi Singleton at QB to score points with any consistency and a defense that continues to be unable to get off the field on third down or generate turnovers.
Rutgers: 24
Purdue: 13
