WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – After the first road trip of the season, Purdue Football returns home for a Homecoming matchup against Nebraska to begin Big Ten play. Kickoff is set for noon from a sold-out Ross-Ade Stadium.
QUICK HITS
• Saturday's contest is the only home contest over a four-game stretch that began last week in Corvallis.
• The Boilermakers are 54-43-4 in Homecoming games with Saturday marking the 102nd edition.
• Last season against Nebraska (Oct. 28, 2023), Kydran Jenkins recorded a career-high 4.5 TFLs, the most by a Boilermaker since 2017. Jenkins also added a 55-yard fumble recovery for his first career touchdown.
• Also in last year's matchup, Dillon Thieneman and Cole Brevard tied single-game school records. Thieneman forced two fumbles, while Brevard recovered a pair of fumbles.
• The Boilermakers won the previous matchup with the Cornhuskers at Ross-Ade Stadium, a 43-37 victory behind a career-high 178 yards from Devin Mockobee (Oct. 15, 2022). Purdue tied a school record with 38 first downs.
• Kydran Jenkins leads the Big Ten in sacks (1.17 per game) and ranks seventh nationally. The senior linebacker also ranks second in the conference and 10th in the country with 1.8 tackles-for-loss per game.
• Jenkins is coming off a career game at Oregon State, recording a personal-best 16 tackles and matching his career high with a pair of sacks. Through three games, he leads Purdue in tackles (27), TFLs (5.5) and sacks (3.5).
• Recording 168 yards on the ground at Oregon State, junior Devin Mockobee recorded his seventh career 100-yard rushing game. Mockobee became just the ninth Boilermaker to produce seven 100-yard rushing games, the first since Kory Sheets (2005-08).
• Mockobee averages 7.67 yards per carry this season, ranking eighth nationally.
• Purdue boasts the nation's ninth-best passing defense, allowing only 123.3 yards per game through the air. The Boilermakers have only allowed two touchdown passes by opposing quarterbacks this season.
• Tight end Max Klare leads the Boilermakers in receptions (10), receiving yards (153) and receiving touchdowns (2). Klare's receptions and yards are double his nearest teammate.
• Purdue is one of six Big Ten teams to win at least 15 conference games over the past three seasons (Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin). The Boilermakers finished second in the Big Ten West in 2021 before capturing the Big Ten West title in 2022. Last season, Purdue tied for fourth in the final year of divisional play.
• Sharing time in the backfield, the duo of Mockobee and Reggie Love III combine to average 147 rushing yards per game (Mockobee - 92.0 ypg, Love - 55.0 ypg).
• Sophomore Will Heldt has recorded a TFL in each game this season, bringing his season total to 4.0. Heldt also has 2.5 sacks to rank second on the team in both categories.
HOMECOMING HISTORY
• Saturday's game will be Purdue's 102nd Homecoming game.
• The Boilermakers are 54-43-4 in Homecoming contests.
• After losing six straight Homecoming games from 2012-17, Purdue has won four of the past six.
• Last season, Ryan Walters and the Boilermakers dominated his former squad with a 44-19 Homecoming victory over Illinois.
• Purdue hosts Nebraska for Homecoming for the first time. The Cornhuskers become the Boilermakers' 17th different Homecoming opponent throughout history. Wisconsin is Purdue's most common Homecoming opponent (21 matchups).
A LOOK AT THE SERIES
• Saturday will be the 13th meeting in the series history between Purdue and Nebraska, dating back to 1958 when the Boilermakers blanked the Cornhuskers 28-0 in West Lafayette.
• Purdue has rolled recently with four wins in the last six contests.
• Devin Mockobee set his career high with 178 yards on the ground during the 2022 matchup, setting the Boilermaker freshman single-game record.
KJ IN LINCOLN
• A season ago, Kydran Jenkins had arguably the best game of his career at Nebraska (Oct. 28, 2023).
• Jenkins recorded career highs in TFLs (4.5) and sacks (2.0) while forcing a fumble and returning it 55 yards for his first career touchdown.
• The 4.5 TFLs against Nebraska were the most by a Boilermaker since Gelen Robinson recorded 5.5 TFLs against Nebraska exactly six years to the day (Oct. 28, 2017).
SUCCESS ON THE GROUND
• Through the past six games, dating back to last season, Purdue has averaged 230.5 yards per game on the ground.
• In the first road game of the year, the Boilermakers rushed for a season-high 263 yards for the third most under head coach Ryan Walters.
• Devin Mockobee and Reggie Love III have led the way, combining to average 147.0 yards per game splitting time in the backfield. Mockobee's 92.0 ypg ranks eighth in the Big Ten, while Love's 55.0 ypg is good enough for 20th.
• The Boilermakers opened the season with 248 yards rushing on the ground, third most on opening weekend by a Big Ten team.
• Three different Boilermakers found the end zone on the ground against the Sycamores, including Elijah Jackson's 69-yard score, Purdue's longest rushing score since Rondale Moore's 74-yard scamper against Northwestern in 2018.
HERE COMES THE MOCK TRAIN
• From walk-on to phenom, Devin Mockobee has certainly made a name for himself in his time in West Lafayette.
• With a season-high 168 rushing yards at Oregon State, Mockobee became the ninth Boilermaker to produce at least seven 100-yard rushing games over a career and the first since Kory Sheets (2005-08) recorded nine over his career.
• He also became the sixth Boilermaker since 1996 to record a 100-yard rushing game in three separate seasons.
• Breaking open a 63-yard rush against the Beavers, he eclipsed 2,000 rushing yards for his career to move into 14th on Purdue's all-time rushing list.
• Mockobee also sits in a tie for 12th with 16 rushing touchdowns.
• He started his career by setting a new Purdue freshman record with 968 rushing yards while also adding nine touchdowns.
• After being put on scholarship in the first official act of the Walters era, he led the team in rushing once again with 807 yards and six touchdowns in 2023.
• In doing so, Mockobee became the first Boilermaker to lead the team in rushing in back-to-back seasons since Markell Jones, who did it three years running (2015-17).
• The Boonville, Ind., native is one of only four Big Ten players to rush for more than 800 yards in each of the past two seasons.
TACKLES-4-LOSS
• One of the major anchors of the defense is senior Kydran Jenkins (KAY-dran), who ranks eighth in Purdue history with 20.0 career sacks and 13th with 37.0 tackles-for-loss.
• The senior linebacker leads the Boilermakers in tackles (27), TFLs (5.5) and sacks (3.5) through the first three games of the season.
• Jenkins' 1.17 sacks per game tops the Big Ten and ranks seventh nationally, while his 1.8 TFLs per contest is good enough for second among Big Ten defenders and 10th nationwide.
• Jenkins had a huge game against Oregon State, recording a career-high 16 tackles to go along with 3.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks. With his second sacks of the contest, he became the eighth Boilermaker in program history to make 20 career sacks.
• As a junior, Jenkins finished second in the Big Ten in tackles-for-loss with 15.5 on the year, ranking 18th in the country and the most by a Boilermaker since George Karlaftis in 2019 (17.0).
• He garnered All-Big Ten Honorable Mention for the second straight year in 2023.
• A versatile player, Jenkins moved from RUSH END to middle linebacker ahead of the 2024 campaign, a position he played in high school and a spot the coaching staff believed would do more to impress NFL scouts.
NO-FLY ZONE
• Purdue ranks ninth nationally in pass defense, allowing only 123.3 yards per game.
• The Boilermakers have only allowed 33 completions through the first 3 games, the second fewest in the country.
• Ryan Walters' defense has surrendered only two passing touchdowns on the year, zero coming from starting quarterbacks.
MAD MAX
• Max Klare has not missed a beat since he returned to the lineup at the start of the season.
• The sophomore tight end leads Purdue in receptions (10), receiving yards (153) and receiving touchdowns (2).
• His reception and yardage totals are double his nearest teammate, proving to be a primary target for quarterback Hudson Card.
• Klare was on pace to be one of the best tight ends in the country before his 2023 season was cut short. However, the sophomore bounced back in the 2024 season opener with five catches for 71 yards, both team highs.
• Klare also caught Purdue's first touchdown of the season, a 9-yard strike from Card on the opening drive.
• Klare was also tabbed to the Comeback Player of the Year Award Watch List ahead of the year.
QUICK HITS
• Saturday's contest is the only home contest over a four-game stretch that began last week in Corvallis.
• The Boilermakers are 54-43-4 in Homecoming games with Saturday marking the 102nd edition.
• Last season against Nebraska (Oct. 28, 2023), Kydran Jenkins recorded a career-high 4.5 TFLs, the most by a Boilermaker since 2017. Jenkins also added a 55-yard fumble recovery for his first career touchdown.
• Also in last year's matchup, Dillon Thieneman and Cole Brevard tied single-game school records. Thieneman forced two fumbles, while Brevard recovered a pair of fumbles.
• The Boilermakers won the previous matchup with the Cornhuskers at Ross-Ade Stadium, a 43-37 victory behind a career-high 178 yards from Devin Mockobee (Oct. 15, 2022). Purdue tied a school record with 38 first downs.
• Kydran Jenkins leads the Big Ten in sacks (1.17 per game) and ranks seventh nationally. The senior linebacker also ranks second in the conference and 10th in the country with 1.8 tackles-for-loss per game.
• Jenkins is coming off a career game at Oregon State, recording a personal-best 16 tackles and matching his career high with a pair of sacks. Through three games, he leads Purdue in tackles (27), TFLs (5.5) and sacks (3.5).
• Recording 168 yards on the ground at Oregon State, junior Devin Mockobee recorded his seventh career 100-yard rushing game. Mockobee became just the ninth Boilermaker to produce seven 100-yard rushing games, the first since Kory Sheets (2005-08).
• Mockobee averages 7.67 yards per carry this season, ranking eighth nationally.
• Purdue boasts the nation's ninth-best passing defense, allowing only 123.3 yards per game through the air. The Boilermakers have only allowed two touchdown passes by opposing quarterbacks this season.
• Tight end Max Klare leads the Boilermakers in receptions (10), receiving yards (153) and receiving touchdowns (2). Klare's receptions and yards are double his nearest teammate.
• Purdue is one of six Big Ten teams to win at least 15 conference games over the past three seasons (Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin). The Boilermakers finished second in the Big Ten West in 2021 before capturing the Big Ten West title in 2022. Last season, Purdue tied for fourth in the final year of divisional play.
• Sharing time in the backfield, the duo of Mockobee and Reggie Love III combine to average 147 rushing yards per game (Mockobee - 92.0 ypg, Love - 55.0 ypg).
• Sophomore Will Heldt has recorded a TFL in each game this season, bringing his season total to 4.0. Heldt also has 2.5 sacks to rank second on the team in both categories.
HOMECOMING HISTORY
• Saturday's game will be Purdue's 102nd Homecoming game.
• The Boilermakers are 54-43-4 in Homecoming contests.
• After losing six straight Homecoming games from 2012-17, Purdue has won four of the past six.
• Last season, Ryan Walters and the Boilermakers dominated his former squad with a 44-19 Homecoming victory over Illinois.
• Purdue hosts Nebraska for Homecoming for the first time. The Cornhuskers become the Boilermakers' 17th different Homecoming opponent throughout history. Wisconsin is Purdue's most common Homecoming opponent (21 matchups).
A LOOK AT THE SERIES
• Saturday will be the 13th meeting in the series history between Purdue and Nebraska, dating back to 1958 when the Boilermakers blanked the Cornhuskers 28-0 in West Lafayette.
• Purdue has rolled recently with four wins in the last six contests.
• Devin Mockobee set his career high with 178 yards on the ground during the 2022 matchup, setting the Boilermaker freshman single-game record.
KJ IN LINCOLN
• A season ago, Kydran Jenkins had arguably the best game of his career at Nebraska (Oct. 28, 2023).
• Jenkins recorded career highs in TFLs (4.5) and sacks (2.0) while forcing a fumble and returning it 55 yards for his first career touchdown.
• The 4.5 TFLs against Nebraska were the most by a Boilermaker since Gelen Robinson recorded 5.5 TFLs against Nebraska exactly six years to the day (Oct. 28, 2017).
SUCCESS ON THE GROUND
• Through the past six games, dating back to last season, Purdue has averaged 230.5 yards per game on the ground.
• In the first road game of the year, the Boilermakers rushed for a season-high 263 yards for the third most under head coach Ryan Walters.
• Devin Mockobee and Reggie Love III have led the way, combining to average 147.0 yards per game splitting time in the backfield. Mockobee's 92.0 ypg ranks eighth in the Big Ten, while Love's 55.0 ypg is good enough for 20th.
• The Boilermakers opened the season with 248 yards rushing on the ground, third most on opening weekend by a Big Ten team.
• Three different Boilermakers found the end zone on the ground against the Sycamores, including Elijah Jackson's 69-yard score, Purdue's longest rushing score since Rondale Moore's 74-yard scamper against Northwestern in 2018.
HERE COMES THE MOCK TRAIN
• From walk-on to phenom, Devin Mockobee has certainly made a name for himself in his time in West Lafayette.
• With a season-high 168 rushing yards at Oregon State, Mockobee became the ninth Boilermaker to produce at least seven 100-yard rushing games over a career and the first since Kory Sheets (2005-08) recorded nine over his career.
• He also became the sixth Boilermaker since 1996 to record a 100-yard rushing game in three separate seasons.
• Breaking open a 63-yard rush against the Beavers, he eclipsed 2,000 rushing yards for his career to move into 14th on Purdue's all-time rushing list.
• Mockobee also sits in a tie for 12th with 16 rushing touchdowns.
• He started his career by setting a new Purdue freshman record with 968 rushing yards while also adding nine touchdowns.
• After being put on scholarship in the first official act of the Walters era, he led the team in rushing once again with 807 yards and six touchdowns in 2023.
• In doing so, Mockobee became the first Boilermaker to lead the team in rushing in back-to-back seasons since Markell Jones, who did it three years running (2015-17).
• The Boonville, Ind., native is one of only four Big Ten players to rush for more than 800 yards in each of the past two seasons.
TACKLES-4-LOSS
• One of the major anchors of the defense is senior Kydran Jenkins (KAY-dran), who ranks eighth in Purdue history with 20.0 career sacks and 13th with 37.0 tackles-for-loss.
• The senior linebacker leads the Boilermakers in tackles (27), TFLs (5.5) and sacks (3.5) through the first three games of the season.
• Jenkins' 1.17 sacks per game tops the Big Ten and ranks seventh nationally, while his 1.8 TFLs per contest is good enough for second among Big Ten defenders and 10th nationwide.
• Jenkins had a huge game against Oregon State, recording a career-high 16 tackles to go along with 3.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks. With his second sacks of the contest, he became the eighth Boilermaker in program history to make 20 career sacks.
• As a junior, Jenkins finished second in the Big Ten in tackles-for-loss with 15.5 on the year, ranking 18th in the country and the most by a Boilermaker since George Karlaftis in 2019 (17.0).
• He garnered All-Big Ten Honorable Mention for the second straight year in 2023.
• A versatile player, Jenkins moved from RUSH END to middle linebacker ahead of the 2024 campaign, a position he played in high school and a spot the coaching staff believed would do more to impress NFL scouts.
NO-FLY ZONE
• Purdue ranks ninth nationally in pass defense, allowing only 123.3 yards per game.
• The Boilermakers have only allowed 33 completions through the first 3 games, the second fewest in the country.
• Ryan Walters' defense has surrendered only two passing touchdowns on the year, zero coming from starting quarterbacks.
MAD MAX
• Max Klare has not missed a beat since he returned to the lineup at the start of the season.
• The sophomore tight end leads Purdue in receptions (10), receiving yards (153) and receiving touchdowns (2).
• His reception and yardage totals are double his nearest teammate, proving to be a primary target for quarterback Hudson Card.
• Klare was on pace to be one of the best tight ends in the country before his 2023 season was cut short. However, the sophomore bounced back in the 2024 season opener with five catches for 71 yards, both team highs.
• Klare also caught Purdue's first touchdown of the season, a 9-yard strike from Card on the opening drive.
• Klare was also tabbed to the Comeback Player of the Year Award Watch List ahead of the year.