Purdue at No. 6 Ohio State
Date/Time/Place: Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021: 3:30 p.m. ET, Ohio Stadium
Surface: Artificial Turf
Capacity: 102,780 (Tickets)
Schedule/records: Ohio State (8-1 overall, 6-0 Big Ten); Purdue (6-3, 4-2)
Series notes: Ohio State has a 40-15-2 advantage in a series which dates back to 1919. Purdue is just 5-27-2 in games played in Columbus and hasn't won at the 'Shoe since 1988 when coach Fred Akers' Boilermakers beat OSU 31-26 thanks in part to the play of 17-year old freshman quarterback Brian Fox and Canadian fullback Ernie Schramayr. The two teams haven't played in Columbus since 2012, when coach Urban Meyer's first OSU team needed a touchdown and two-point conversion with three seconds left in regulation to send it to overtime. OSU prevailed in the extra period, 29-22.
TV: ABC (PBP Joe Tessitore; Analyst Greg McElroy; Field Analyst Katie George)
Radio: Purdue Sports Properties (PBP Tim Newton; Analyst Dusty Pete Quinn; Sidelines Kelly Kitchel) Listen on Tunein or the VarsityApp
Early line: Ohio State opened -19.5 (now -21)
Pregame: Gold and Black Radio
Purdue roster | Purdue Game Notes
Ohio State running game versus Purdue against the run
While returnee Master Teague garnered most of the preseason attention for the Buckeye running backs room, true freshman TreVeyon Henderson has emerged onto the scene as a breakout star. Henderson is putting up over 100 yards per game at the tune of more than seven yards a touch, and he has found the end zone 12 times already. The former top recruit in the nation at his position, Henderson appears to be setting himself up for a legendary career in Scarlet and Grey. Teague and Miyan Williams could see carries behind Henderson, but the true freshman will get the majority of touches, especially since QB CJ Stroud isn't a huge running threat. The Buckeyes average 189 yards per game on the ground.
All things considered, Purdue did a fine job containing Michigan State's Heisman-contending tailback Kenneth Walker III, who wasn't able to rip off a game-changing run the way he has so many times this season. Purdue doesn't get much, if any, of a drop off to Henderson, though, who will be a challenge for Purdue to stop. Boilermaker defenders can ill-afford to miss tackles, which was a problem for them a week ago.
Ohio State passing game versus Purdue against the pass
The Buckeyes have trotted out a string of talented quarterbacks recently, with the likes of JT Barrett, Dwayne Haskins and Justin Fields being none-too-far removed. CJ Stroud's time has come to attempt to join those ranks, and he is off to a fine start. With 25 touchdowns to just five interceptions, opposing secondaries have had their hands full trying to stop the Buckeye aerial attack. The other half of that comes with Ohio State's elite receiving corps. The college football world knew plenty about Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, who came into 2021 with All-American aspirations. But Jaxon Smith-Njigba has emerged as one of the leaders of the pack, coming off of a 200+ yard performance at Nebraska. The talented trio has combined for 20 of the team's 27 touchdown receptions on the season, and each of them has over 600 yards thus far. Henderson will be a factor in the pass game out of the backfield, as well.
Over the past month, Purdue's defensive backs have had a knack for forcing interceptions. They'll likely need a few of those to win this matchup on Saturday. They haven't seen a receiver like what Ohio State will trot onto the field, but the pass defense has been largely solid this season. Jamari Brown was dinged up towards the end of the Michigan State game, so his status will be key. He'll need to be 100 percent, as Purdue will need all the help it can get trying to slow down this lethal passing attack.
Purdue running game versus Ohio State against the run
After a breakthrough performance at Nebraska, Purdue's run wasn't as effective on Saturday against Michigan State, though it did have some important moments. King Doerue was able to move the chains a few times, and Zander Horvath's ability to play helps this unit. We barely saw the multi-quarterback system in use. Austin Burton played one snap and didn't do much, and Jack Plummer's two snaps were rather quiet. Purdue will continue to seek to run the ball traditionally, though using wideout Jackson Anthrop from the backfield is a wrinkle we're likely to see continue.
This Buckeye front is loaded with elite talent, and the statistics reflect that. They allow just 107 yards per game on the ground, as opponents average just three yards per attempt. With 56 tackles for loss through nine games, this is a front that could easily overwhelm Purdue's offensive line. On paper, the offensive front has similar abilities to Wisconsin, who Purdue really struggled to do anything against.
Purdue passing game versus Ohio State against the pass
The nation has been buzzing about the Purdue pass game, and for good reason. Aidan O'Connell comes in to this one fresh off a 536-yard performance that earned him Davey O'Brien National Quarterback-of-the-Week honors for the second time this season. It's been a really good month for O'Connell, who has shined, for the most part, since assuming the starting spot from Jack Plummer. David Bell has established himself as one of the nation's finest receivers with two 200-yard performances on the season. He enters this game just 304 yards shy of Purdue's all-time single-season receiving record. The tight end spot is unclear ahead of this one. Payne Durham was limited to just two snaps vs. the Spartans. While Garrett Miller had a career day, he isn't 100%, either.
While the vulnerability of Ohio State's secondary tends to be a topic in Buckeye circles, they are a solid Big Ten pass defense, allowing 247 yards per game through the air. They've been able to pick off 11 passes, a trap O'Connell will need to avoid. It goes without saying that Purdue will need to have a big day in the passing game to have a chance in this one. It certainly has the momentum and ability to do so.
Special teams
Jeff Brohm had to be relieved to watch Mitchell Fineran drill all four of his field-goal attempts in Saturday's victory. While all four came from inside 30 yards, getting some confidence back was huge for Fineran. The punt game didn't need to be utilized much, but Jack Ansell continues to improve, according to special teams coach Marty Biagi. The return game isn't likely to provide much of a spark, but Purdue needs that area to just be fine. Ben Freehill was excellent as a kickoff specialist, and he will continue in that role.
Buckeye kicker Noah Ruggles enters this one a perfect 15-for-15 (49-for-49 on PATs) on the season, though his long is just 46 yards. Jesse Mirco isn't a game-changer at punter, but he delivers quality results. With the level of athlete Ohio State has on its sidelines, special teams has to be a strength compared to opponents.
Intangibles
Back-to-back upset victories have the Boilermakers bowl-eligible for the first time since 2018. The trip to Columbus represents an opportunity for a third top-six (AP) win for Purdue this season, but it won't come easy. After a field-rushing win at Ross-Ade, coming back and performing well on the road can be a difficult task. Purdue will need to come in focused despite the massive amount of media attention it has received this week.
Two consecutive underwhelming performances by the Buckeyes' standards have them coming into this one ready to put those behind them. Despite the coaching change from Urban Meyer to Ryan Day, Ohio State's players likely haven't forgotten about the 2018 game at Ross-Ade. Since then, the Buckeyes haven't dropped a Big Ten contest. Can the Boilers change that as nearly three-touchdown 'dogs?
The Buckeyes have lots to play for this week in terms of the CFP (College Football Playoff). They are ranked fourth this week, while Purdue, for the first time in program history, is also ranked, coming in at No. 19.
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