First and 10 | Purdue football at Nevada

WEST LAFAYETTE – As we start game week, 10 questions about the Boilermakers and Friday’s matchup at Nevada:

Yes, a day earlier than the traditional Saturday and a late night. Kickoff at 9:30 p.m. (ET). Rest up and hydrate. Expected high temperature Friday in Reno is 92 and it’s a dry heat. Hot is hot. 

Purdue is a 10-point favorite in Friday's game. It's the first time since in 20 years the Boilermakers are a double-digit road favorite in the season opener. They were favored by 17 at UCF in 1999. Game was played at the Citrus Bowl but I believe it was considered UCF's home field b

► Will the offensive line prove it can protect quarterback Elijah Sindelar and hold up in Game 1?

► How many carries for Zander Horvath, the No. 1 running back after Tario Fuller's injury. 

► Can Sindelar avoid the big mistakes – three interceptions - that plagued him in last year’s opener against Northwestern?

► Will Rondale Moore produce 313 all-purpose yards – or another big number – in the first game again?

► How many freshmen make the travel roster and which newcomer stands out in the first game?

► Can the defensive line create pressure in the backfield without Lorenzo Neal and rattled redshirt freshman quarterback Carson Strong? They’ve done it in practice, but the games are the only thing fans remember.

► Will the defense show it’s a much-improved group compared to last season?

► How will the Boilermakers deal with Nevada's returning receivers Kaleb Fossum Romeo Doubs. They caught 113 passes - one fewer than Moore did last season - and totaled 1,296 yards.

► Who leads the team in tackles in Game 1? Markus Bailey or Ben Holt?

► Who gets the call to handle the punting duties?

Mike Carmin covers Purdue football for the Journal & Courier. Email mcarmin@gannett.com and follow on Twitter @carmin_jc