What we’re looking for, keys to the game and predictions for Nebraska’s matchup against Purdue.
Nebraska football hits the road for the first time in 2024, heading to West Lafayette to take on Purdue.
The Huskers stand at 3-1 on the season and 0-1 in Big Ten Conference play following a 31-24 overtime loss to Illinois on Friday night in Lincoln. The Huskers took a 24-17 lead early in the fourth quarter, but the Illini tied the game at 24-24 midway through the fourth quarter and prevailed with an overtime touchdown. The loss to Illinois ended a streak of 10 straight games in which Nebraska had allowed 24 or fewer points. The Husker offense continued to show its explosiveness with 297 yards through the air, including five pass plays of at least 20 yards.
Purdue comes into the contest with a 1-2 record, following a 38-21 loss at Oregon State on Saturday night. The Boilermakers opened the season with a victory over Indiana State, before losses to Notre Dame and Oregon State. Coach Ryan Walters’ team has shown a strong running game through three contests, averaging 183.0 yards per game on the ground, including 263 rushing yards at Oregon State. The Boilermaker defense has been solid against the pass, allowing just 123 yards per game.
Here’s what we’re looking for, picks to click and final predictions for Saturday’s road matchup at Purdue.
Keys to Saturday’s game:
Since 2015, Nebraska is 2-3 at Ross Ade Stadium. There have been shootouts, comebacks, unlikely heroes, questionable coaching and nearly everything else one could anticipate between teams that tend to play annually. It’s the first road game of the year for a program that won only once on the road a year ago. The Huskers will not be walking into a hornet’s nest, but that was true in 2015 and 2019 and Nebraska couldn’t emerge victorious. It is likely going to be very sleepy on Saturday. A team that fed off the crowd for four games will need to bring its own energy. Can Nebraska start quickly and not give any of the Purdue faithful reason to believe an upset could happen on Saturday?
Before the season this felt like the kind of game where Nebraska could lose because the team might be flying high into it and Purdue coach Ryan Walters would have all sorts of traps for Dylan Raiola. The Huskers certainly aren’t flying high at the moment and there should be at least one motivated team on Saturday as the coaches have made it plain last Friday’s game isn’t who the staff wants to be. It’ll be telling if the Huskers play a cleaner game penalties-wise and show better tackling than the last couple weeks on defense.
— Mike Schaefer
Can the Huskers pop a few big ones in the run game? Opponents have often loaded up the box more against Nebraska. Purdue might do the same. But Matt Rhule has talked about being better with the run even with those tilted looks. Purdue has allowed 32 runs of more than 10 yards. Marcus Satterfield said it’s not some obvious scheme issue that shows in film with the Boilermakers, but rather opponents making some great individual plays against them. The Huskers could use a few such plays in the run game so that it’s not all about Dylan Raiola having to make clutch throws. Body blows, yes, but a couple knockout runs would sure be welcome too.
Turn the tables on special teams. Purdue comes in 24th in net punting (41.94) to Nebraska’s 113th (35.0). Almost a seven-yard advantage every punt there that the Huskers need to close the gap on for this game. Rhule has said kicker John Hohl and while you’d rather score touchdowns, it could be a booster if he could hit a kick from around the distance he missed a week ago. There’s a lot of guys with pride in those specialist units who should not be looking to just break even but make that play that changes the game and the conversation. — Brian Christopherson
Nebraska’s running game will be front and center in West Lafayette. Purdue has given up some gaudy rushing numbers the last two weeks to teams with rushing quarterbacks, and with Nebraska having to get work done on the ground in a different way, Nebraska’s offensive line and running backs will need to be dialed in. Nebraska comes in averaging 140 yards per game on the ground and would benefit from a few long runs, which Purdue’s defense has shown it can and will give up. Weather conditions for Saturday are looking dicey, so grinding things on the ground could keep Nebraska on schedule.
Can Nebraska find the havoc? After tallying 19 tackles for loss and eight sacks in its first two games, things have gotten slower for Nebraska’s defense. The Huskers have three sacks and five tackles for loss in the games against Northern Iowa and Illinois. Nebraska’s defense needs to find its mojo against the Boilermakers after being pushed around by Illinois. Rallying to the ball and tackling better is going to be key against Purdue running back Devin Mockobee, who averages 7.7 yards per carry and is one of the conference’s better backs. — Michael Bruntz
Picks to Click:
Pick to Click: Isaac Gifford
The veteran defender hasn’t been as visible this season compared to a year ago, but Saturday on the road look for Gifford to make a few flash plays as the defense looks to get right. — Mike Schaefer
Pick to Click: Princewill Umanmielen
He’s been close to several sacks and some very disruptive plays in these first four games. Let’s click on him for this week with the thought he closes the lid on a couple of those plays, ideally one that crushes a third down or causes a turnover. – Brian Christopherson
Pick to Click: John Bullock
The senior linebacker has been the heartbeat of the defense through four games, while flying around and making plays. Nebraska needs more of its defensive players to be like Bullock, and the hope is that more will follow his lead on Saturday against Purdue. — Michael Bruntz
Score Predictions
Prediction: Nebraska 27, Purdue 9
There’s just enough doubt about going on the road that I can’t predict a bigger victory for Nebraska against a team that is reeling, but there’s certainly a chance the Huskers run away with it. — Mike Schaefer
Prediction: Nebraska 31 Purdue 19
It’s an interesting test because Nebraska’s strengths so far don’t exactly line up with Purdue’s obvious weaknesses. And Purdue’s running game will test the Big Red to see if they can put a stop to the leaky yards. Purdue is 118th in third down offense so the Blackshirts need to get right on the money down after a tough week. For NU’s offense, keep the Boilermakers defense at the zero count on the season for takeaways and the Huskers leave with a road win against a team that has defeated NU in four of the last six meetings. — Brian Christopherson
Prediction: Nebraska 30 Purdue 17
Nebraska does enough on the road to get back into the win column and feeling good about things. This is an early kick on Peacock, so the Huskers will need to bring their own energy and play clean football in West Lafayette. — Michael Bruntz