Matchup Preview: Ohio State
Ohio State at Purdue
Date/Time/Place: Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018, 7:30 ET , Ross-Ade Stadium (60,670)
Records: Ohio State 7-0 overall, 4-0 Big Ten; Purdue 3-3, 2-1; In its most recent outing (Oct. 13), Ohio State struggled to put Minnesota away, but ended up with a 30-14 home win. The Buckeyes have struggled to some extent, in three other games this season — wins over TCU in Arlington, Texas (40-28) and at Penn State (27-26) and for a half or so at home against Indiana (49-26). The Buckeyes have blown out three other teams at home: Tulane (49-3), Rutgers (52-3) and Oregon State (77-31).
TV: ABC (Chris Fowler, play-by-play; Kirk Herbstreit, analyst; Maria Taylor sideline)
Radio (Purdue): Sirius 108/XM 388/ Tunein.com (Tim Newton, play-by-play; Pete Quinn, analyst; Rob Blackman, studio host)
Series notes: Ohio State holds a 40-14-2 advantage in a series that dates back to 1919. Purdue has played the Buckeyes tough in West Lafayette, winning eight of 21 games, including a 4-3 record at home since 2000. The two teams haven't met since 2013, when OSU blew out Purdue 56-0 in Darrell Hazell's first season as Purdue's head coach. Danny Hope's Boilermaker teams posted wins over Ohio State in 2011 and 2009. In '09, the Buckeyes were ranked No. 7.
This will be the third night game between the schools with the two previous played in West Lafayette. The Buckeyes won the first night game ever in Ross-Ade 39-11 on Oct. 18, 1986, and 23-7 on Oct. 6, 2007. The 2007 contest marked the last time the Boilermakers were nationally ranked, as Coach Joe Tiller's team was No. 23 before the loss.
Pregame: Gold and Black Radio
Purdue roster | Purdue Schedule/Results | Purdue Game Notes | Purdue Depth Chart
Ohio State roster | Ohio State schedule/results | Ohio State Game Notes
Ticket info (Game is expected to be a sellout)
More: Number Crunching: 2018 Week 6/7 | Opponent View | Brohm's Big-Play success | Wednesday post-practice video
Ohio State rushing offense vs. Purdue against the rush
There has been much written about how Ohio State is not a run-first offense anymore. And so far this season that has been true, but that doesn't make running backs J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber any less dangerous. Yes, neither is on pace for a thousand-yard season, a barrier that the duo has broken in previous years, but they are still averaging about five yards per rush. Against Ohio State, it's pick-your-poison. Opponents have slowed OSU's run this year by loading the box, only to be destroyed by the Buckeyes' passing game. Will Purdue do the same? Purdue may have the advantage here, but may only be by default.
Ohio State's passing game vs. Purdue against the pass
To have any chance for the upset, the Boilermakers must slow Ohio State's passing game. The challenge is, few teams have come close to doing this in 2018. Quarterback Dwayne Haskins is having a Heisman-type season, but that is due in no small part to OSU's stable of receivers. Parris Campbell leads the Buckeyes in receptions, but K.J. Hill is making the highlight-reel catches and is considered a sure-fire first-team All-American this season. OSU's passing offense doesn't rely a lot on the deep ball, so Saturday's predicted windy and possibly rainy weather isn't likely a factor. Also, 11 different OSU receivers have caught five or more passes in 2018, so don't be surprised if someone else emerges on Saturday night. This will be, by far, Purdue's biggest test of the season as the Boilermakers have yet to really show they can effectively defend a spread passing attack.
Purdue run game vs. Ohio State against the run
D.J. Knox and Markell Jones have been a pretty consistent tandem of late. But can Purdue get enough rushing momentum against an elite program, something that hasn't happened yet in the Jeff Brohm Era? It will be interesting to see how often the Boilermakers try against Ohio State. The weather conditions could impact Purdue's strategy to some extent, but whether Purdue can push around OSU's NFL-caliber front seven is a serious question. One would think the Boilermakers will need an adequate run/pass balance to pull the upset, it just won't be easy.
Purdue's passing game vs. Ohio State against the pass
To compete, Purdue must pile up big numbers in the air, but also be efficient and as mistake-free as possible. As a whole, Ohio State's defense has come under scrutiny at times this year. In the important categories (third-down conversions, first in the Big Ten, for example) it has been stout enough to win games. Quarterback David Blough has enjoyed a four-game stretch comparable to just about any quarterback in Purdue history, but he will need that and more to get the job done Saturday night. Coach Jeff Brohm is capable of scheming his way to big plays, and Ohio State has given up two 93-yarders this season. If it is breezy Saturday night in Ross-Ade, precision and accuracy become all the more important for Blough and the Purdue offense.
Special teams
Both teams have excellent punters as Ohio State's Drue Crisman is second in the Big Ten, averaging 44.5 per attempt. OSU's Blake Haubeli has had trouble kicking the ball into the end zone consistently, so look for Rondale Moore to have a chance for returns. Purdue needs to get its place-kicking stabilized as it had two miscues against Illinois, and it has been a constant concern to date this season. Haubeli made his first three field goal attempts of the season last week against Minnesota, including a 47-yarder, after regular Sean Nuernberger missed the Minnesota game with a leg injury. His status this week is not known.
Intangibles
If Purdue can strike early and up its confidence level, this game could be interesting for four quarters. If the Boilermakers are swimming upstream the entire game, as they did against Missouri and Northwestern earlier in the season, it will be hard for the home team to overcome the sheer power and athleticism of Ohio State. In short, the intangibles will favor Purdue if it can seize the momentum. If OSU starts fast, its power, speed and overall superior athletic ability will make a Boilermaker upset very, very difficult.
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