Purdue at No. 10 Indiana: Key Insights for Saturday’s Showdown

Matchup Details:
The clash between Purdue (1-10, 0-8 in Big Ten) and No. 10 Indiana (10-1, 7-1, No. 10 CFP) is set for Saturday at 7 p.m. ET, airing on FS1. Indiana enters the game favored by 28.5 points in the latest odds from BetMGM. Historically, Purdue holds the upper hand in the rivalry with a record of 77-42-6.

What’s on the Line:
Indiana has a chance to reclaim the Old Oaken Bucket for the first time since 2019 and could sweep its trophy games for the first time since 2016. More importantly, a victory would bolster their chances for a place in the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff and potentially send them to the Big Ten Championship game—contingent on No. 2 Ohio State’s performance against Michigan. On the other side, Purdue aims to earn bragging rights and end a disappointing 10-game losing streak, potentially marking the last game for head coach Ryan Walters with the team.

Key Matchup to Watch:
A focal point of this match will be Purdue’s rushing attack up against Indiana’s robust run defense. Purdue has faced considerable challenges in establishing offensive balance this season, and they could find this contest particularly difficult given the circumstances. Their performance at Michigan State was dismal, managing only 19 carries for a minus-4 yards. Unless they can significantly improve their ground game, Saturday night might be another challenging contest for the Boilermakers.

Players to Keep an Eye On:
For Purdue, quarterback Hudson Card might be playing his final game in West Lafayette. After starting the season strong, he faced struggles and was sidelined with a concussion, but he bounced back last week with a career-best performance, throwing for 342 yards and one touchdown against an FBS opponent for the first time. He needs to bring his A-game to help secure an upset against Indiana. For the Hoosiers, defensive end Mikail Kamara and linebacker Aiden Fisher have proven to be substantial obstacles for opposing teams this season. They will be looking to demonstrate that last week’s performance against Ohio State was merely an anomaly.

Interesting Facts:
Another defeat for Purdue would mean a record-breaking 11 consecutive losses in a single season, tying them with the 2013 team for the highest overall losses. The Hoosiers have managed only one victory in the Bucket Game since 2017. Furthermore, Purdue has experienced just three winless seasons in conference play since World War II (1946, 1993, and 2013) and has yet to lose nine conference games in a single season. The Hoosiers are also looking to bounce back from their lowest offensive output of the season, mustering only 153 yards and scoring 15 points. Devin Mockobee, running back for Purdue, needs just 55 yards to become the eighth player in program history to reach the 2,500-yard milestone.