Game Notes
Old Oaken Bucket Game Tickets
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - With its second open week of the season in the rearview mirror, the Purdue football team is looking forward to its last two games with bowl eligibility still in sight.
The Boilermakers (4-6, 3-4 Big Ten) need to win Saturday at No. 14 Wisconsin (8-2, 5-2) and next Saturday against Indiana (7-3, 4-3) to make it three bowl games in as many seasons under head coach Jeff Brohm.
But in the one-game season mantra by which the Boilermakers conduct business, their sole focus is on Wisconsin, a program Purdue has not beaten since 2003 in Madison.
"When you watch Wisconsin's defense throughout the course of the season, you look at Ohio State, you look at some of the things Nebraska did, pretty much when you've had a running quarterback, you spread the field, that's what's hurt them," Brohm said. "I don't know if that's what we can do at this point, but that is what's hurt them.
"We've got to figure out how to create some seams with maybe not exactly that type of offense at this point, but you never know. We have to be smart and intelligent and figure out what can get the ball moving, not put all the pressure on the passing game. That's what we're trying to figure out."
Defensively, the Boilermakers will face one of the country's premier running backs in Jonathan Taylor.
"That's going to be the challenge," Brohm said. "He's a great talent. A big, strong specimen. He has run for a lot of yards against us and a lot of teams. It's important that somehow you match the physicality of their offense. They're big and strong up front. They're going to run the ball at you. We have to try to limit him as much as we can.
"They've done a good job this year I think of adding the misdirection element to their offense, allow those things to throw off the eyes and keys of the linebackers and safeties, which has worked. I think that's opened up some things. He has some good players around him."
Since taking over for the injured Jack Plummer in the fourth quarter against Nebraska on Nov. 2, Aidan O'Connell has completed 40 of 57 passes (70 percent) for 333 yards and two touchdowns. Plummer, O'Connell and Elijah Sindelar each has won at least one game for the Boilermakers this season. It marks the first time Purdue has had three starting quarterbacks win a game since 1992 and merely the third time since 1962.
"He's done a very good job for us," Brohm said of O'Connell. "We feel confident that he can continue to get better. We understand what his strengths and weaknesses are, so he has to continue to get better at some of those things. He gives us everything he has. He plays extremely hard. His teammates love him. He's a good leader, leads by example. I anticipate him playing hard again this week."
The Boilermakers and the Badgers will get underway at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, and the game will be televised by FOX.
Old Oaken Bucket Game Tickets
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - With its second open week of the season in the rearview mirror, the Purdue football team is looking forward to its last two games with bowl eligibility still in sight.
The Boilermakers (4-6, 3-4 Big Ten) need to win Saturday at No. 14 Wisconsin (8-2, 5-2) and next Saturday against Indiana (7-3, 4-3) to make it three bowl games in as many seasons under head coach Jeff Brohm.
But in the one-game season mantra by which the Boilermakers conduct business, their sole focus is on Wisconsin, a program Purdue has not beaten since 2003 in Madison.
"When you watch Wisconsin's defense throughout the course of the season, you look at Ohio State, you look at some of the things Nebraska did, pretty much when you've had a running quarterback, you spread the field, that's what's hurt them," Brohm said. "I don't know if that's what we can do at this point, but that is what's hurt them.
"We've got to figure out how to create some seams with maybe not exactly that type of offense at this point, but you never know. We have to be smart and intelligent and figure out what can get the ball moving, not put all the pressure on the passing game. That's what we're trying to figure out."
Defensively, the Boilermakers will face one of the country's premier running backs in Jonathan Taylor.
"That's going to be the challenge," Brohm said. "He's a great talent. A big, strong specimen. He has run for a lot of yards against us and a lot of teams. It's important that somehow you match the physicality of their offense. They're big and strong up front. They're going to run the ball at you. We have to try to limit him as much as we can.
"They've done a good job this year I think of adding the misdirection element to their offense, allow those things to throw off the eyes and keys of the linebackers and safeties, which has worked. I think that's opened up some things. He has some good players around him."
Since taking over for the injured Jack Plummer in the fourth quarter against Nebraska on Nov. 2, Aidan O'Connell has completed 40 of 57 passes (70 percent) for 333 yards and two touchdowns. Plummer, O'Connell and Elijah Sindelar each has won at least one game for the Boilermakers this season. It marks the first time Purdue has had three starting quarterbacks win a game since 1992 and merely the third time since 1962.
"He's done a very good job for us," Brohm said of O'Connell. "We feel confident that he can continue to get better. We understand what his strengths and weaknesses are, so he has to continue to get better at some of those things. He gives us everything he has. He plays extremely hard. His teammates love him. He's a good leader, leads by example. I anticipate him playing hard again this week."
The Boilermakers and the Badgers will get underway at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, and the game will be televised by FOX.