Pregame: First look - Penn State | Matchup Preview | Opponent View ($) |

Depth Charts ($)

More: Replogle struggling with head injury ($) | Parker 'making a difference' |

Penn State pass rush will be a stiff test ($) | Next step: Winning | Running game key

Coming off a universally admired showing at Nebraska in its debut under interim coach Gerad Parker, Purdue says its next step comes only in winning.

It will be a sharp challenge. This weekend's opponent, Penn State, is ranked 24th and coming off a win over No. 2 Ohio State.

Here are our GoldandBlack.com staff predictions.

I considered taking Purdue this week, because I feel like this could be the perfect trap game for Penn State. The Nittany Lions are coming off a program-defining win over Ohio State, at least in the James Franklin Era, that now has many thinking they could run the table and create a three-way tie for the Big Ten East title.

And they likely are overlooking Purdue, which isn't without reason; it did fire its coach less than two weeks ago. But I think Purdue will give the Nittany Lions a fight, because they will sustain — at least for one more week — the emotional lift that Gerad Parker has provided.

I think he'll have the Boilermakers up to go again, drawing on what they were able to do last week at Nebraska and by convincing them that they can repeat it. Like last week, though, it can only go so far.

The reason why I couldn't fully embrace Purdue is because of the matchups. They're not favorable in certain keys areas on Saturday, like the Nittany Lions' ability to rush the passer vs. the Boilermakers' pieced-together offensive line. And PSU has Saquon Barkley, likely the best player on the field and one who has a style that Purdue has struggled to stop.

Eventually, those things will win out for Penn State. Penn State 27, Purdue 17

By all accounts, what Gerad Parker has done in a short amount of time to change the "culture" in Purdue's program has been excellent.

Somehow, he was able to get the defensive players to tackle consistently after working with them only one week - or the defensive staff ordering up changes in that physicality approach in practices - and the aggressive style of defense made the Boilermakers somewhat formidable against the run. But here's what I come back to, the same thing that I have all season: Purdue has not proven it is a consistent team, not in its effort, not in its execution.

Maybe Parker's fiery speeches and everyman demeanor would eventually be what Purdue needed to get the program turned right, but there's such a short amount of time to do it this season. Penn State's defense and its apparent emphasis on confusing quarterbacks with its pre-snap movement and blitz packages worry me a bit, and the Nittany Lions' zone-read-based offense with Trace McSorley totally scares me against a D that has never seemed to figure out how to stop a running QB.

Would be surprised not to see another inspired performance by Purdue, but just don't think it'll be enough to produce what would be the first victory over a ranked team since 2011. Penn State 27, Purdue 14

It will be a near perfect day in Ross-Ade (despite maybe a little wind) and that should mean the offenses can put up some points. For the first time in a long time, Purdue has some momentum.

But the challenge will be blocking Penn State’s front well enough to allow quarterback David Blough a chance to have the success he enjoyed in the first 40 minutes of last week’s game. Penn State may struggle against the run, so the Boilermakers must be able to run the ball, something they haven't done in three of four league games. Penn State 31, Purdue 24

Everyone involved deserves credit for what we saw last weekend: A Purdue team that tried hard, played inspired, played over its head and responded to a dire, scramble-mode situation with its best shot.

Purdue played with emotion at Nebraska. Amazing how it could suddenly tackle, huh?

My worry for the Boilermakers this weekend: That emotion is a tricky thing to sustain and now perhaps the moment has passed.

Like they say, life comes at you fast, and life comes this weekend in the form of a Penn State team on an upswing, with an NFL running back, a difficult-to-manage, multi-faceted running game and a scary pass rush.

Purdue did a remarkable job, all things considered, against the run at Nebraska. We'll see if it's sustainable against a run game it'll have to be both physical and emotional but also disciplined against. And if the physical and emotional goes out the window this weekend, then good night, and good luck.

I give Purdue a chance in this game for sure, but I also acknowledge the remaining realities of its situation. Penn State 30, Purdue 21

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