First and 10: Purdue at Northwestern preview
Can the Boilermakers avoid the turnovers and penalties that have haunted them during the four-game losing streak?
A combination of 10 thoughts, takeaways, and questions ahead of Saturday’s 3 p.m. (BTN) kickoff against the Wildcats:
• Purdue was the last opponent at Ryan Field in 2023 before bulldozers leveled the facility, making way for a state-of-the-art $862 million stadium scheduled to open next season. The Boilermakers are also the opponent in the final game at the temporary facility, which sits on the lakefront and seats around 12,000. The Wildcats play their final two home games against Michigan and Minnesota at Wrigley Field in November. But Purdue won’t help open the new stadium since it’s not on Northwestern’s schedule in 2026. It’s unclear when the Boilermakers will play at the new Ryan Field since the Big Ten has announced opponents through 2028, and a trip to Evanston isn’t on the docket.
• It’s not hard to see that the window to win more games is closing. Northwestern and Rutgers are the best remaining chances. Once November starts, the Boilermakers face a four-game gauntlet of Michigan, Ohio State, Washington, and Indiana. Those four teams are a combined 21-3 heading into this weekend. By Halloween, it won’t be difficult to determine Barry Odom’s record in his first season.
• Can Purdue flip its turnover margin? Five straight games of losing the turnover battle, and it’s minus 10 for the season, which ranks last among Big Ten schools. The current stretch is the longest for the program since 2016. The Boilermakers are one of four programs nationally with a negative double-digit turnover margin.
• Penalties have slowly increased each week during the four-game losing streak. It’s not a good sign. Purdue had five against USC, seven at Notre Dame, eight against Illinois, and nine at Minnesota. It’s not necessarily the total but more of the timing. Two facemask penalties on the game-tying scoring drive kept the Gophers in the game last week.
• The rushing numbers have been solid the last two games. The ground game has generated more than 6.0 yards per carry against Illinois and Minnesota after going backwards against USC and Notre Dame. Devin Mockobee and Antiono Harris are doing their part, but the production from the quarterback position has provided another spark. Backup Malachi Singleton has emerged as a threat, and we should see more of the Arkansas transfer the rest of the season.
• Another one from the stop beating yourself department: Will the receivers clean up the dropped passes? According to goldandblack.com, the Boilermakers had seven drops in the loss at Minnesota. It’s been a season-long trend. The offense is leaving too many plays on the field.
• The defense stymied Minnesota’s rushing attack, holding P.J. Fleck’s offense to 30 yards. A tough challenge awaits against the Wildcats, who feature two of the top 13 rushers in the Big Ten in league games. Caleb Komolafe and Joseph Himon II are averaging a combined 4.5 yards per carry against conference opponents. Overall, the Wildcats are averaging 165.3 yards in Big Ten play. Along with Minnesota, the Boilermakers limited the Fighting Illini’s rushing attack.
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• Northwestern quarterback Preston Stone has yet to throw for more than 200 yards against a conference team. Stone and the passing game don’t appear to generate a lot of big plays through the air. But that’s an area the Boilermakers have struggled, allowing 9.5 yards per attempt against Big Ten teams. They’ve also collected just one interception this season, but the secondary stepped up last week and was credited with 12 pass breakups. Whether the Wildcats resort to throwing the ball likely depends on the success of the run game.
• And weather could play a factor. Rain and wind are in the forecast, and we’ve seen two weather-related delays this season (USC and Notre Dame). Will there be a third?
• Purdue has made 15 trips to the red zone in the last four games, but managed just five touchdowns. The 15 trips are the second-most by a Big Ten team in conference games, but converting touchdowns at a rate of 33.3% helps tell the story of the current skid.
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