Matchup Preview: Purdue vs. Minnesota
Purdue at Minnesota
Date/Time/Place: Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018, 3:30 ET, TCF Bank Stadium (50,805)
Records: Minnesota 4-5 overall, 1-5 Big Ten; Purdue 5-4, 3-2 Big Ten; After starting the season with three-straight wins, Minnesota has dropped four of five games. The victories to open the season were all at home (New Mexico State, 48-10; Fresno State 21-14; Miami (Ohio) 26-3). In conference play the Gophers were defeated at Maryland 42-13, vs. Iowa 48-31, at Ohio State 30-14, at Nebraska 53-28 and this past Saturday at Illinois 55-31. The Gophers lone league victory was over Indiana 38-31 on Oct. 26 in Minneapolis. Purdue started out the season with three straight home losses to Northwestern (31-27), Eastern Michigan (20-19) and Missouri (40-37). Since, the Boilermakers have defeated No. 23 Boston College (30-14), won at Nebraska (42-28), at Illinois (46-7), vs. No. 2 Ohio State (49-20), lost to Michigan State (23-13) and defeated No. 19 Iowa (38-36).
TV: ESPN2 (Beth Mowins, play-by-play; Anthony Becht, analyst; Rocky Boiman sideline)
Radio (Purdue): Sirius 119/XM 202/ Tunein.com (Tim Newton, play-by-play; Pete Quinn, analyst; Rob Blackman, studio host)
Series notes: Minnesota leads the series 37-33--3 and have won six of nine games in the series dating back to 2008. Purdue is winless in four attempts at TCF Bank Stadium, a facility that opened in 2009. The teams first played in 1894, and the Boilermakers are just 12-31-3 in games played in Minneapolis over the years, while they are 21-6 in contests played in West Lafayette including a dramatic 31-17 win last year in a weather delayed contest. Purdue scored 15 points in the game's final 87 seconds, including a 76-yard pick-six with 10 seconds left by senior linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley to thwart a Gophers' last-minute drive.
TV: ESPN2
Line: Purdue -12.5; It is the most Purdue's been favored on the road since it was a 14-point favorite at Minnesota in 2007. The Boilermakers ultimately won the game 45-31.
Pregame: Gold and Black Radio
Purdue roster | Purdue Schedule/Results | Purdue Game Notes | Purdue Depth Chart
Minnesota roster | Minnesota schedule/results | Minnesota Game Notes | Minnesota Depth Chart
Tickets | Stadium information/tickets
More: Number Crunching: 2018 Week 9/10 | Opponent View | Holt expects turnovers to come in final month| Wednesday Post-Practice Video | Coughlin will be challenge for Purdue
Minnesota run game versus Purdue against the run
With experienced backs Shannon Brooks and Rodney Smith out for the year due to injuries, the Golden Gophers have turned over the ball-carrying duties to redshirt freshman Mohamed Ibrahim (No. 24) and Bryce Williams (No. 21). Ibrahim and Williams have had their moments, with the former rushing for 147 yards at Ohio State and latter with 141 vs. Miami (Ohio). Watch for receiver Seth Green (No. 17) in the Wildcat as well, especially by the goal line, as he has seven rushing touchdowns in 2018. Still, this is an area where Purdue should have an edge. How much of an edge, however, will likely determine how Saturday's game plays out.
Minnesota passing game versus Purdue against the pass
Tanner Morgan (No. 2) has taken over the reins at quarterback the past two games since the injury to former walk-on quarterback Zack Annexstad (No. 8). It is possible that both could see action on Saturday, but Morgan has put up good numbers the past two games averaging 280 yards through the air in those contests. Morgan gives the Gophers a little more athleticism in the run game too. Junior Tyler Johnson (No. 6) is a big-time threat at receiver leading the Big Ten with 57 catches for 875 yards and has had nine games where he has surpassed the 100-yard receiving mark.
Purdue needs to slow the Gophers' passing game. Stopping it, considering Purdue is last in conference games in pass defense (300.3 per contest), is unlikely.
Purdue run game versus Minnesota against the run
Since D.J. Knox's long runs against Ohio State, Purdue's run game hasn't been extremely productive. That is not shocking since the last two opponents Michigan State and Iowa are some of the best against the ground game. This week, however, that will not be the case in Minnesota. The Gophers were humbled last week at Illinois giving up 430 rushing yards and several long scoring runs. The Gophers are 13th in rushing defense in league games, and expect Purdue to try to establish a ground game, especially in the sub-30 degree playing conditions.
Purdue passing game versus Minnesota against the pass
The Gophers have struggled in pass defense, especially last week when it gave up 216 passing yards to Illinois, a team that entered the contest near the bottom in the conference in passing. A key will be to make sure that quarterback David Blough isn't bothered too much by the Gophers' pass rush, especially Carter Coughlin (No. 45) who is leading the Big Ten in sacks in all games. It is also difficult to predict how the Gophers will defend Purdue with its interim defensive coordinator Joe Rossi. Expect Rondale Moore to be closer to 100 percent physically and the emergence of Terry Wright and Isaac Zico as reliable receivers gives Purdue ample threats on the outside. If Purdue's passing game gets warmed up, so to speak, it should have a productive day.
Special teams
Minnesota's field goal kicker Emmit Carpenter (No. 38) has had success with long field goals this season and connecting on nine of his first 10 attempts of the season. Since, he hasn't been as busy, only connecting on two of his last four attempts. Purdue has struggled a bit in defending kick returns, making it important that Spencer Evans returns to form by putting his kickoffs out of the end zone. Gopher returner Demetrius Douglas (No. 82) had an 87-yard return at Nebraska that fell just short of a TD. Boilermaker punter Joe Schopper is having an All-Big Ten level season, a Moore's 24-yard punt return against Iowa was key.
One can sense that Purdue's special teams are improving, yet it is not enough to give the Boilermakers the advantage.
Intangibles
On paper, Purdue has all the momentum. And while it is early in his tenure, the emotionally driven P.J. Fleck regime is being put to an early test. Will Fleck, in just his second year, be able to get his team up after lopsided road losses in two of its last three games?
The Gophers are the youngest team in the nation, with over 50 percent of their roster as freshman. Remember this, despite its disappointing 1-5 league record, Minnesota is far more comfortable at home, winning the first three non-conference games at TCF Bank Stadium and Indiana two weeks ago. It also played Iowa relatively competitively on Oct. 6, in the Gophers only home loss in 2018. In the pre-conference, the Gophers' 21-14 home win over Fresno State raised some eyebrows.
The Boilermakers should be confident having won a couple of conference road games, but will want to steer clear of giving the hosts the advantage with easy points early in this one.
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