GAME BREAKDOWN
KEY MATCHUP: This isn’t your father’s Ohio State team that looked to pound opponents into submission on the ground — it does most of its damage through the air. For Purdue to stand a chance against Ohio State, its pass defense will have to come up with its biggest game of the season. Dwayne Haskins has thrown for more than 400 yards twice already this season, and averages four touchdown passes per game. Moreover, he’s an excellent athlete, so it’s not like flushing him out of the pocket will help much. Purdue’s secondary isn’t good enough to slow him down unless the front seven gets pressure on Haskins and forces him to throw the ball earlier.
DRAFT SLANT
–WR Isaac Zico is coming off the best game of his Boilermaker career, with 127 yards and a pair of receiving touchdowns against Illinois. He was expected to be a difference-maker when he arrived as a junior college transfer a year ago and it looks like it’s starting to click for him in the Boilermaker offense as he heads into the latter half of his senior season.
ROSTER REPORT:
–TE Cole Herdman missed the Illinois game because of stingers. The coaching staff is hopeful that he will be available this weekend to face Ohio State.
–RB Richie Worship has missed start of the season as he recovers from an ACL tear suffered last year. He’s recovering, and the coaching staff hasn’t ruled out him playing later this season, but it doesn’t look likely at this point.
–QB Elijah Sindelar didn’t get off the bench against Illinois despite the blowout victory. Coach Jeff Brohm said that the reason wasn’t a lack of confidence, but the desire to give him extra time to get healthy. Still, it seems like a long time ago that he was the starting quarterback, given how well David Blough has played in recent weeks.
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