Iowa will travel to West Lafayette to take on our Boilermakers in what has become a rare noon kick-off. Some quick facts and notes on the yearly match-up of the two B1G West Teams:
Here are my 3 keys to victory:
1. Win the Special Teams Battle
In bad weather games, special teams come to the forefront. The team that can win this phase of the game generally will be the ones that are happy at the end of the contest. With wind appearing to be an issue this weekend, how will kicker Mitchell Fineran play? He has struggled in the last couple of games, can he be good enough in the kicking game Saturday to give Purdue an edge? Not only that but will Punter, Jack Ansell continue to perform? He has improved drastically in his second year in West Lafayette, averaging over 44 yards per punt. Flipping the field in what should be a low-scoring game will be important.
2. Don't allow Petras to get into a rhythm
Spencer Petras has been pretty bad for the majority of this season. A lot of that is due to the offensive line and their poor pass blocking, but, when has had time, he has been... serviceable. Against Northwestern, the Offensive Line played well. Petras completed 21 of 30 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown that day. In a day of poor weather and an expected run-heavy game script, I am interested in how Iowa will implement Petras. There will be plenty of play-action passes, as Iowa always does. But, can the Boilers still put pressure on Petras while giving so much attention to the Hawkeye rushing attack? Purdue will need to find future NFL Tight End, Sam LaPorta in the flats and the middle of the field.
3. Let the "MockTrain" run wild
In bad-weather games, as you all know, the rushing attack has to be crisp. For the first time since Purdue had a backfield of Markell Jones and DJ Knox, I feel confident in the rushing attack. The big guys up front have done a great job, from left to right, Moussa, Holstege, Hartwig, Mbow, and Miller, have paved the way for several solid games from Devin Mockobee. While undersized, Devin Mockobee finishes runs as if he is a 220 pound heavy hitting running back. I am hopeful our front 5 can open holes up against a stingy Iowa Rush Defense. The Boilermakers will need help from Dylan Downing and Kobe Lewis, as the script may be more run-heavy than Coach Brohm would like.
- The Boilermakers lead the All-Time Series 50-39-3, tomorrow will be the 93rd overall meeting. Purdue has won 29 of their 50 wins at Ross-Ade Stadium.
- In the last meeting between the two teams, Purdue beat the #2 Hawkeyes 24 to 7.
- Iowa transfers, Charlie Jones and Tyrone Tracy Jr have combined for 1,075 yards from scrimmage this season. More than the two combined for during their entire 2021 season at Iowa.
Here are my 3 keys to victory:
1. Win the Special Teams Battle
In bad weather games, special teams come to the forefront. The team that can win this phase of the game generally will be the ones that are happy at the end of the contest. With wind appearing to be an issue this weekend, how will kicker Mitchell Fineran play? He has struggled in the last couple of games, can he be good enough in the kicking game Saturday to give Purdue an edge? Not only that but will Punter, Jack Ansell continue to perform? He has improved drastically in his second year in West Lafayette, averaging over 44 yards per punt. Flipping the field in what should be a low-scoring game will be important.
2. Don't allow Petras to get into a rhythm
Spencer Petras has been pretty bad for the majority of this season. A lot of that is due to the offensive line and their poor pass blocking, but, when has had time, he has been... serviceable. Against Northwestern, the Offensive Line played well. Petras completed 21 of 30 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown that day. In a day of poor weather and an expected run-heavy game script, I am interested in how Iowa will implement Petras. There will be plenty of play-action passes, as Iowa always does. But, can the Boilers still put pressure on Petras while giving so much attention to the Hawkeye rushing attack? Purdue will need to find future NFL Tight End, Sam LaPorta in the flats and the middle of the field.
3. Let the "MockTrain" run wild
In bad-weather games, as you all know, the rushing attack has to be crisp. For the first time since Purdue had a backfield of Markell Jones and DJ Knox, I feel confident in the rushing attack. The big guys up front have done a great job, from left to right, Moussa, Holstege, Hartwig, Mbow, and Miller, have paved the way for several solid games from Devin Mockobee. While undersized, Devin Mockobee finishes runs as if he is a 220 pound heavy hitting running back. I am hopeful our front 5 can open holes up against a stingy Iowa Rush Defense. The Boilermakers will need help from Dylan Downing and Kobe Lewis, as the script may be more run-heavy than Coach Brohm would like.
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