Welcome back to West Lafayette OSU! Wait, who the hell is on that team that Purdue beat two years ago?

After the closets were cleaned and the rats jumped off the ship, OSU looks sluggish returning to Ross Ade, but Purdue hasn't really gotten any better since the last meeting, so....

They said Purdue couldn't do it before... what if they did it again?

One more time please

Predicto starts right now -- long before Terrelle Pryor gets his first NFL start.




Thuff:

Surely if IU can go head to head for a couple of quarters with them, we can too right? Maybe if we didn't come the week after the whoosiers. OSU won't be letting their guard down as easily I suspect, especially on the road in a stadium that watched their team demolish a strong Buckeye team on both sides of the ball.

We're hurt. Besides Drey, I am not sure of any other key injuries, but we're all hurt mentally. Players, coaches, fans are all hurting for any signs of life in our Gold and Black. A close loss is just going to hurt more, but being ground into the dirt will likely make me puke. The team has the talent, we saw it against Illinois; I just really want to see that again. Now.

If you think I'm an ignorant fan for saying this go ahead, but I am disgusted with the referees from last week. If we see that performance again Saturday, it's likely that we'll lose even harder.

Marve can use some nontrash time reps, but I don't want to take them away from Caleb. I know, Marve threw a pick last week on his first drive. Except that wasn't exactly a 'GOOD LUCK, HOPE WE GET IT' kind of throw. Fate was funny and the bouncing around ended up in Wisky's hands.

The run game needs to get their literal legs back and I have a feeling this may be the week to do it. If Indiana can get 155 rushing yards, I'd like to say we could get our average of around 185 to 200 as well. OSU isn't exactly a small team, but hopefully we've figured out blocks by now. Bolden should be itching for the endzone since he hasn't been there since Minnesota and Shavers has only had 42 yards on the ground since Illinois.

Purdue grinds it out, but can't quite seal it up.

O$U - 31
THE Purdue University - 24

TIMMAY:

I don't envision a beat down of Wisconsin proportions but things aren't looking good this weekend.  Hopeful Danny made mention of a handful of trick plays that may be in the offing this week.  I just hope that they aren't all related to bubble screens.  Against Indiana, Ohio State had a mere 55 yards passing but had 346 rushing yards.  If the defensive line cannot contain the run and keep Herron from getting the outside it's going to be a long day.  IU was able to put up a respectable amount of rushing yards, but their average was pretty terrible.  Can Bolden do any better?  I'd like to say yes, but in the last 6 games he's only averaged more than 2.8 yards per rush in two of them and amazingly has only had more than 50 rushing yards in a game just once in that same span.

Purdue - 17

J:

I want to believe the logic that I've heard this week that Purdue should be able to topple OSU again because the Bucks simply cannot (or do not) pass and if Purdue stuffs the run, they will be able to outscore the Buckeyes. But I can't get around a few fairly important facts.

1) Purdue hasn't stopped the run well of late.
2) Purdue's offense is not going to light things up.
3) OSU's defense is one of the best Purdue will see all season.

Add to these hard-to-ignore item the fact that the coaching staff continues to make the most puzzling decisions and almost seems surprised that their simplistic and poorly-thought-out schemes (if you can call them that) don't work (and when they don't work, Purdue also doesn't seem to know how to adjust) and I simply do not see how you can feel good as a Boiler. At the start of the season, I thought Purdue would be 3-6 at this point, but I also said they always find a surprise in the bag of tricks. I was off by one game, but that surprise has also already materialized in the win over Illinois.

I think there is a sneaky little respect there that OSU fans have for Purdue football. I've heard and read more than a few of them acknowledge how tough Purdue always seems to play them (last year notwithstanding since all tapes of that game were destroyed). If the Boilers pull off the win tomorrow, they will be 3-3 against the mighty Bucks in the last half-dozen. Not bad, men.

Unfortunately, I don't see it. Go Boilers...prove me wrong.

Bucknuts 27
Boilers 17

Boilerdowd:

This rock fight has the number 11 offensive team in the B1G v. the number 9 team.

Both teams have struggled mightily to move the ball at times this season...especially versus good defenses.   Both teams are better at running the ball than passing.  So here's the rub: Purdue hasn't been able to consistently move the ball the last two weeks.  Sure, they found a way to compete v. Penn State...and they ran the ball with great efficiency versus the Illini.  But the more I ponder this team and assess the stats, the less I understand.

Ohio State doesn't know what she is this season.

When Purdue's offense can get in space, the speed can do things, but recently, it seems the play calling has put Purdue in hand-to-hand combat in the trenches...exactly where they have no business competing.  Injuries are piling up for Purdue, specifically on the offensive and defensive lines...and poor preparation of the players behind the ones has yielded atrocious results the last two weeks.

Purdue is 4-1 at home this season. aOSU is 1-2 on the road.  Their only win was versus the Illini...and both Purdue and the Bucks played Illinois the exact same way- get an early lead...then just sit on it.

The analytical side of me says this is a game Purdue can and should win.  As TMill referenced, if you dare Miller to throw, he completes around 50% of his passes...and if you can hit him a few times, he starts to think a lot and then throws dumb passes.

I think this one comes down to personnel.  Purdue's DEs have only had two good games this season...and if they don't come to play, Purdue won't be able to compete.  If Purdue's defensive coaches scheme the way I would, they'd put Johnson and Allen on islands and challenge Miller to hit them in the numbers.  Problem is, as much as I like those guys, they haven't risen to the challenge v. big, fast, skilled receivers all season.  Here's another chance...prove me wrong, gents.

an Ohio State Institution of Learning 22
Purdue 13