The Weekly Word is GoldandBlack.com's weekly, obviously, column covering Purdue football, basketball and recruiting, as well as college sports issues, the true meaning of life, or whatever other topics might come to mind in a given week.

It would be silly of me to assume anything and grossly irresponsible of Purdue to assume anything, but had the Boilermakers gotten that Nebraska game last night and it unfolded in such a way that the home team would win comfortably, that could have been of value to Purdue, I think.

Jaden Ivey and Ethan Morton still need to get their legs under them, and that could have been an opportunity to get some extended run in the second half in a low-pressure sort of environment.

Again, can't take anything for granted here, but it's inarguable that Nebraska at home is the most winnable scenario on every Big Ten team's schedule this season.

I figured both of these guys would be really high-impact players for Purdue this season and to date, it's not worked out that way.

Morton's preseason bout with mono and Ivey's early season foot problems combined to deal a crippling blow to Purdue's season, and I don't think that reality should be minimized here.