Kick Off
5:00 PM ET
Location
Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana (Cap. 57,236)
Weather
Forecast: 48°F, 0% chance of rain, Winds 8mph SW
2020 Record
Purdue (2-2)
Rutgers (1-4)
S&P+ Rankings
Purdue- 46
Rutgers- 104
All-Time Series Wins
Purdue- 0
Rutgers – 1
Ties – 0
Last Win In Series
None
October 21st, 2017 at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey (14-12)
Projected Starting Lineups
Purdue
QB: Jack Plummer
RB: Zander Horvath
LT: Grant Hermanns
LG: Spencer Holstege
C: Sam Garvin
RG: DJ Washington
RT: Will Bramel
WR: David Bell
WR: Rondale Moore
WR: Milton Wright
NT: Lorenzo Neal
DE: Branson Deen
DE: Anthony Watts
OLB: DaMarcus Mitchell
ILB: Derrick Barnes
ILB: Jaylan Alexander
OLB: Jalen Graham
CB: Cory Trice
FS: Cam Allen
SS: Brennan Thieneman
CB: Dedrick Mackey
K: JD Dellinger
P: Brooks Cormier
LS: Nick Zecchino
KR: Marcellus Moore
PR: Zander Horvath
Rutgers
2020 Stat Comparison
| Purdue | Rutgers | |
| Offensive Points per game | 26.5 | 29.6 |
| Offensive Rushing Yards Per Game | 79 | 127.8 |
| Offensive Passing Yards Per Game | 320.8 | 232.4 |
| Total Offensive Yards Per Game | 399.8 | 360.2 |
| Defensive Points per game | 26.2 | 36.8 |
| Defensive Rushing Yards Per Game | 145.5 | 174.4 |
| Defensive Passing Yards Per Game | 259.0 | 264.8 |
| Total Defensive Yards Per Game | 404.5 | 439.2 |
What to Watch For
Let’s start by addressing the elephant in the room, last week’s atrocious OPI call changed the result of the game. Plain and simple. Nobody likes when officials determine the outcome of a game, doesn’t matter which sport. Nobody likes on it. Last week’s call pissed on the game of college football, it pissed on the Big Ten conference, and of course it pissed on Purdue. Let’s be clear, that is unacceptable, and I’m sure Jeff Brohm let the conference here it privately. The Big Ten issued no statement on the officiating call on the game which means the conference continues it’s streak of incompetence and pissing all over itself. So I will digress.
Purdue never should’ve been in a situation where the game was taken out of their hands and that is on the team and the staff. The defense was non-existent until Minnesota started to play conservative. That cannot be the case this week against Rutgers. Rutgers offense has quite a few sneaky weapons. At QB the Scarlet Knights will trot out Noah Vedral, who while he isn’t a premiere QB he can make some moves on his feet and is solid in the nickel and dime game. Where I have seen his flaws is in his decision making on scrambles. Purdue’s pressure in the front seven was non-existent last week, and that was with George Karlaftis, who is now out for the rest of the regular season. Purdue will need to dial up some blitzes and get creative without the Greek freak. At running back, Rutgers Isaih Pacheco, who is very much in a similar mold of former Purdue back DJ Knox. Pacheco can be dangerous and is really solid at making defenders miss. Purdue will need to bring their tackling shoes today. At wide receiver Bo Melton will be the biggest threat. Cory Trice will have to be all over him.
On defense Rutgers is a very aggressive team and I mean very aggressive. Rutgers will bring the heat constantly and Purdue will need to be prepared mentally on the offensive line and the backs will need to be ready to pick up Blitz. Because of Rutgers over aggressiveness at some points, good OC’s start to pick up on it and run more traps and counters get linebackers flowing the wrong direction. This is part of Purdue’s game that I have seen in the past that hasn’t happened all that much this season. This will be the game for Jeff Brohm and Co. to break those tactics out.
Let’s be real here for a second, a win today set’s Purdue back on path to finish the season above .500 and potential for a bowl game (if they happen). But Rutgers is a squad with a lot of momentum as a program, very similar to Purdue in 2017 in my opinion. This is not your father’s Rutgers anymore, they have confidence despite a tough OT loss to Michigan last week. A third straight loss would be almost unthinkable. Purdue will need to be ready to play today and play hard.
Radio/TV
Radio: Purdue Radio Network
TV: FS1
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