No. 2 Indiana football is set to make the trip up north to take on Purdue on Friday for the Old Oaken Bucket trophy at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana.
The Hoosiers enter the game with a shot
at history, the program’s first undefeated season and a berth in the Big Ten title game. For now, the Boilermakers stand in their way.
Here’s three things to know about them ahead of the matchup:
Last time out: Washington 49, Purdue 13
In a season full of disappointment for the Boilermakers, their most recent matchup may have been the most hapless.
Yes, surrendering 56 points to Notre Dame is one touchdown more, but Purdue managed to put up 30 points on the road against a team that’s gone on to look like one of the best in the country. This one was just different, worse. Washington is no Notre Dame.
The Huskies, who’d been embarrassed on the road in Wisconsin, took out their anger on the Boilers and found all kinds of success. Demond Williams went 16/19 through the air for 257 yards and two touchdowns. They gained 212 yards on the ground, finding the endzone five times there.
Purdue flip-flopped between quarterbacks (more below) and would’ve gained just 70 or so yards on the ground if it weren’t for an explosive rush from E.J. Horton Jr., a receiver.
The quarterback question
Purdue will start sophomore quarterback Ryan Browne against Indiana on Friday, per the coaching staff. He’s completed 59.8% of his passing attempts for 1,915 yards and nine touchdowns. Unfortunately for the Boilers, he’s tossed just as many interceptions.
Will he play the whole game? We don’t know and Purdue isn’t sure either. Fellow sophomore Malachi Singleton saw the majority of attempts against Washington, completing 16 of them for 150 yards and a single touchdown. The Boilers are set to feel out the game and could insert Singleton if they feel that’s the right call.
If he’s in, it’s decently likely to be a run. He has 48 carries to 64 passing attempts. Indiana will have to be ready for both signal callers. The Tom Allen Special.
Trick plays
The Boilers have gotten the chains moving, or gotten into the endzone, with a few trick plays on the season to keep defenses guessing. It was one of these plays that got Purdue one of its touchdowns at Notre Dame.
This is the last game of the season and means the most, so Purdue could dump out the bag entirely and throw some really weird stuff out there. Indiana’s defense will have to be ready for that.
