Matchup Preview: Purdue-Maryland

Maryland at Purdue

Date/Time/Place: Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019: noon ET, Ross-Ade Stadium

Surface: Natural Grass

Capacity: 57,236 (Tickets Information/availability)

Schedule/records: Maryland 3-2 in 2019, 5-7 in 2018; Purdue 1-4 in 2019, 6-7 in 2018

Line: Purdue: +3

Series notes: Maryland leads 2-0 in the series. Purdue's first match with Maryland ended in defeat with Maryland beating Purdue 24-7 in the Champs Sport Bowl. Their second meeting also concluded in a Maryland win, with Maryland holding victory over Purdue 50-7 at Maryland back in 2016. This will be the Terrapin's first visit at Ross-Ade Stadium.

TV: BTN (Brandon Gaudin, PBP: James Laurinaitis, Analyst; Elise Menaker (sidelines)

Radio (Purdue): Sirius 133 / XM 195 / Tunein.com (Tim Newton, play-by-play; Pete Quinn, analyst; Kelly Kitchel, sideline; Rob Blackman, studio host). Coverage concludes with Boilermaker Sports Wrap with Nate Barrett and Alan Karpick at 30 minutes after game.

Pregame: Gold and Black Radio

Purdue roster | Purdue Schedule/results | Purdue Game Notes | Purdue Depth Chart

Maryland Roster | Maryland Schedule/Results | Maryland Game Notes | Maryland Depth Chart

West Lafayette Weather

MORE: MORE: Data Driven: A look at Maryland | GoldandBlack.com Roundtable: What now? | Number Crunching: Week 7 | Brohm on o-line shake-up, Maryland RPO and more | First look: Maryland | Coach's Corner: Plummer, O'Connell both taking reps with first-team | Gold and Black Radio podcast: Maryland | Opponent view: Maryland | Coach's Corner: Cory Trice a quick study at CB | Weekly Word

Maryland broke off several big plays against Rutgers - yes, Rutgers. Purdue did a much better job slowing Penn State's run game in the final three quarters.The Terps are averaging 218 yards per game - numbers skewed, most certainly, in lopsided wins over Howard and Rutgers. But it is impressive that the Terps have the ability in the RPO game (run-pass option) to cause serious openings in the middle of the field and Anthony McFarland (No. 5) and Javon Leake (20) have had long runs. Maryland can make the big play in the ground game, and has done so a lot around the left end. So Purdue must be assignment savvy and Purdue's situation at defensive tackle is worrisome with the loss of Anthony Watts. Like Purdue, Maryland didn't run on Penn State, and amassed just 26 more yards in total offense than the Boilermakers in that game (130-104). I think this is a bit of a stretch, but I call it ...

Tyrell Pigrome (3), the presumed starter for the Terps after last week's ankle injury to Josh Jackson (17), has some experience playing against Purdue, even appearing as a freshman in the Terps' blowout win in 2016 at College Park. He has four career starts and even led the Maryland to one of its biggest wins in recent times with a season-opening win at Texas in 2017 before an injury in the second half put him out for the season. Pigrome doesn't throw the ball deep very often, but when he does he has been accurate. Maryland has speed at the skill positions, and the RPO has not been Purdue's friend of late. The Terps' offensive line has had injuries - its best tackle Terrance Davis is out - so there is opportunity for someone like George Karlaftis to have a big day.

Coach Jeff Brohm is still looking for answers in the run game. He has mentioned going even deeper to his bench to freshman De'Joun Hewitt and who knows? Maybe Tario Fuller or Richie Worship will play, though it seems doubtful. Stongside linebacker Keandre Jones (4), the OSU grad transfer, has been very effective in both the run and pass game and middle linebackers Isaiah Davis (22) and Chance Campbell (44) have been consistently good. Purdue took steps forward against Minnesota, but took a step back, as many teams will, against Penn State. Saturday will likely be somewhere in between, but that doesn't mean it will be highly effective for the Boilermakers.

Is it going to be Jack Plummer or Aiden O'Connell? Brohm wasn't happy with Plummer taking 10 sacks last week, though all were not his fault. Purdue's weapons are limited on the perimeter, and Shaq Smith (5, the Clemson grad transfer) has been effective along with Jones. Can the Purdue line give Plummer, or O'Connell, time enough? Will this be the week that the Boilermaker TE's get back to being involved, something that hasn't been the case for much of the 2019 season? For Purdue to win, the answers to those questions have to be closer to yes than no. Purdue should get yardage against the Terps pass defense, but being efficient and scoring enough points is the challenge.

Maryland has yet to make a field goal in 2019, and its punting has been just so-so. Kicker Joseph Petrino has been weak, getting just four touchbacks in 30 attempts as well. Where the Terps are dangerous is in the return game as they have taken a punt (DJ Turner against Temple) and kickoff (Leake last week versus Rutgers) to the house. Purdue, sans Rondale Moore, lacks punch in the return game. J.D. Dellinger has been excellent on kickoffs and good on field goals (when he has had the opportunity). Purdue's team punt game has been OK, though punter Zac Collins remains an alternative to talented freshman Brooks Cormier if the rookie falters.

It seems as if we say this every week, but this game is very difficult to figure out. Does Purdue come back and play with fire and passion in front of its Homecoming crowd? Is this team too young to be able to do that? Both teams desperately need a win if they want to entertain hopes of the postseason. The Terps have Indiana and Nebraska as winnable games left, and the Boilers, in theory, should be competitive in all of its home game with the hopes of stealing a road win at Northwestern.

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