Can the ‘Cats keep Purdue winless in conference play?
Who’s ready for Big Ten football at its finest? Our staff breaks down who wins this matinee matchup in West Lafayette.
Adam Beck: Northwestern 14, Purdue 10
Choosing Northwestern in this one after the last two weeks feels reckless. But Purdue might be the only team in the Big Ten I’m semi-comfortable doing this against. The Boilermakers haven’t won a conference game all season and although pushed a talented Illinois squad to the brink a couple of weeks ago, aren’t getting better any time soon. If Northwestern can run the football and use its defense to keep things close, a second conference win isn’t out of the question for David Braun’s squad. Just get ready for an old school, gritty, grimy game. If you miss the Big Ten West, you’ll enjoy this one!
Brendan Preisman: Northwestern 20, Purdue 13
Cam Porter, please save us. The Boilermakers are 126th in the FBS in rushing defense, giving up 214.9 yards per game. And because Purdue can’t stop a sneeze on the ground, their defense simply can’t get off the field. Boilermaker opponents convert 45.7% of their third downs, the 16th-worst mark in the nation. The question is: can the Wildcats make them pay? Given that David Braun’s team is second-worst in the FBS on money downs with an impossibly bad 25.5% conversion rate, that’s an open question. As long as Porter can consistently put up 4 or 5 yards a pop on first downs and keep Northwestern on schedule, the Wildcats should be able to get the win. Should.
Charlie Jacobs: Northwestern 23, Purdue 13
It’s hard to pick the ‘Cats after watching them the last two weeks, but the Boilermakers aren’t any better. Other than almost beating Illinois in overtime, Purdue has been struggling all season. Hopefully Bryce Kirtz and Xander Mueller will play in this one, which well most definitely help both Jack Lausch and the defense respectively. Purdue hasn’t won a conference game this season while Northwestern has only won one. David Braun’s squad is going to try and get their second Big Ten win. I think they can do so against a Purdue squad that’s one of the only Big Ten teams that is worse than Northwestern.
Ascher Levin: Northwestern 20, Purdue 14
Northwestern has looked terrible in its last two games with poor quarterback play and very questionable coaching decisions. Luckily, they face Purdue—the conference’s worst team—whose only win is against Indiana State. Purdue hung close with Illinois but has been blown out in other games, including losses by 59 to Notre Dame, 46 to Wisconsin, and 35 to Oregon. Purdue’s strength is the run game, led by Devin Mockobee, who’s logged 510 yards on 81 carries. They’ve totaled over 1,100 rushing yards this season at 5.3 yards per carry, so Northwestern will need to shut that down. Lausch has struggled recently, passing for only 82 and 62 yards in the last two games. Designing more run plays for him could help NU get their offense moving. Even though it’s been tough to watch the ‘Cats in their last two games, they should win this game. It also may be optimistic, but NU could make a bowl with just five wins, thanks to their high academic progress rate. If they pull this off and somehow grab a win against Ohio State, Michigan, or Illinois, they’d be in bowl territory.
Ethan Weinberg: Northwestern 20, Purdue 10
If there’s any team in the Big Ten that Northwestern can beat right now, it’s Purdue. The Wildcats have looked putrid in their past two games, and playing the worst team in the conference should give them an opportunity to bounce back. I don’t expect Jack Lausch to suddenly explode after throwing for a combined 144 yards against Wisconsin and Iowa, but it shouldn’t take too much to put up some numbers against one of the worst defenses in the country. Purdue’s offense isn’t as bad as their defensive counterparts, but Northwestern’s defense should be able to keep Hudson Card in check. The worry comes on the ground, where Devin Mockobee & Co have recorded over 1,100 yards in seven games. Northwestern should get the win here, but given how the ‘Cats have been playing I wouldn’t personally be surprised if they find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Season Standings:
7-1: Adam Beck
6-2: Brendan Preisman, Ascher Levin, Natalie Wells, Ethan Weinberg
5-1: Miguel Muñoz
5-3: Charlie Jacobs
2-0: Patrick Winograd
2-1: Harris Horowitz, Sai Trivedi, Wyatt Audler
1-0: Weldon Genies, Calvin Kaplan
1-1: Ben Adams
0-1: Dylan Friedland