Following a busy weekend that saw a lopsided loss to Iowa and the dismissal of their head coach, the Boilermakers have to regroup for a visit to Lincoln, Neb.
Purdue (3-3 overall, 1-3 Big Ten) travels to No. 8 Nebraska (6-0, 3-0) on Saturday. Nebraska built a big lead over Indiana and hung on for dear life in a 27-22 win. (Highlights here.)
Oddsmakers have made the Boilermakers as a 23.5 'dog for the 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff at Memorial Stadium. The Homecoming game will be televised by ABC. Ticket information here.
Here are three things you need to now headed into this week's game:
1. Â Will revenge be on Nebraska's mind?
Not sure this happens considering the state of the Boilermaker program. But in Lincoln, the Cornhuskers haven't forgotten that they are one of the three Big Ten teams to lose to Purdue in the last four years, as they practically gave the game away in West Lafayette last year. The Boilermakers scored 28 unanswered points off of turnovers, making the upset possible.
Of course, Nebraska played last year with a backup quarterback, but Tommy Armstrong, though not 100 percent healthy now, will be behind center on Saturday.
2. Which team will be the healthiest?
In Purdue's case it may be as much about what the Boilermakers' mental frame of mind will be, but Nebraska is battling some physical issues as well. Yes, Purdue is far from 100 percent, and it remains to be seen if it will have Jake Replogle or Ja'Whaun Bentley back in the lineup.
After sitting out the entire bye week to rehab an ankle injury, Armstrong practiced all of last week and was said to be ready for Indiana. Yet, he was far from his usual self, connecting on just 10-of-26 passes. He averaged just over 3.0 yards per carry in 12 touches, as he lacked burst throughout the contest.
Both offensive lines are banged up as well, as Nebraska starting right tackle David Knevel left after the first play against Indiana, and left tackle Cameron Cermin appeared to sustain an ankle injury to an already depleted Boilermaker offensive line.
3. Nebraska's run game will be a huge challenge
Purdue enters as the worst run defense in the Big Ten and one of the worst in all of college football, giving up an average of 264.3 rushing yards per game, 5.9 yards per carry and 14 rushing touchdowns on the year.
The Huskers rank fourth in the conference in rushing offense at 220.5 ypg, but they definitely struggled on the ground at Indiana on Saturday. With a banged-up offensive line and Armstrong dinged, NU managed only 152 yards on 45 carries.
Nearly all of that was courtesy of Terrell Newby, who accounted for 102 of those yards and the only rushing touchdown. The rest of Nebraska’s running backs only gained three yards on six carries vs. the Hoosiers.
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