First Look: Nebraska
MORE: Jeff Brohm: 'Jack Plummer will start'
Here's an early look at Purdue's ninth opponent in 2019, the Nebraska Cornhuskers:
Time: Saturday, Noon ET
Location: Ross-Ade Stadium
Surface: Bermuda Grass
Capacity: 57,236 (Tickets Available)
Schedule/records: Nebraska 4-4 overall, 2-3 Big Ten, 4-8, 3-6 in 2018; Purdue 2-6, 1-4 in 2019, 6-7, 5-4 in 2018
Series notes: Nebraska leads the series 4-3, with the Boilermakers having lost three straight in Ross-Ade Stadium. Purdue won for the first time in Lincoln last year with a relatively dominant 42-28 win at Memorial Stadium. The Cornhuskers most recent visit to West Lafayette saw them rally from a 24-12 fourth quarter deficit to pull out a 25-24 win on Oct. 28, 2017.
TV: FOX
Early line: Nebraska -3
Here is an early look at what you need to know about Saturday's game.
Who will start at quarterback for Nebraska?
There is intrigue heading into Saturday's kickoff about who the starting quarterback will be for Nebraska. Adrian Martinez warmed up and looked like he was going to play in Saturday's 38-31 loss to Indiana only to have reserves Noah Vedral and Luke McCaffrey nearly split snaps. The rub is both Vedral and McCaffrey were banged up against the Hoosiers, too, and there is some question of their status for this weekend.
After Saturday’s dispiriting 24-6 home loss to Illinois, Jeff Brohm said the quarterback position would be an “an open competition” between Plummer and Aidan O’Connell this week. But, upon further review, Brohm announced on Monday that his mind already is made up: Plummer will start vs. Nebraska.
Which team has more to play for?
Coaches Jeff Brohm and Scott Frost are still building for the future. And both have mathematical chances to make the postseason. Purdue has to win out, which would include a monumental upset at Wisconsin, as the Boilermakers may find themselves underdogs in the rest of their games. For Nebraska, it has to win two more games. And with road games at Purdue and Maryland, the Huskers have a legitimate shot. Nebraska's home games, however, are formidable as it plays Wisconsin and Iowa in Lincoln.
Both teams have struggled getting pressure on the quarterback
Nebraska's defense didn't perform well against Indiana. Naybe the most glaring issue was the inability to get any semblance of a pass rush. Even Nebraksa's blitzes proved ineffective.
Purdue has allowed 20 sacks through eight games this season, tied with Nebraska for 13th in the Big Ten and only trailing Illinois (26) for the most in the conference.
Both teams have had trouble in the offensive line. The weather is supposed to be cold, but dry, on Saturday, so the ball figures to be in the air in Ross-Ade Stadium.
Brohm talks about the Cornhuskers
"You are going to go against a spread offense no matter who their quarterback is. The back up guys (to Adrian Martinez) have done decent job and I expect that as a team they will be ready to go.
"We look forward to competing this week against such a tradition rich program.
(On Wan' Dale Robinson who Purdue is from Kentucky and Purdue recruited heavily)
"He is a playmaker, he is very strong for his size. He is low to the ground and that makes him difficult to defend. They want to get the ball in his hands because he can make explosive plays."
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