Husker Football: The EDGE! - Purdue Boilermakers

This Saturday marks Purdue’s first EVER road trip to take on the Husker football team. The Boilermakers won the first meeting by a score of 28-0 in West Lafayette, IN on Sept. 27, 1958 (the Huskers finished 3-7 by season’s end).

The only bright spot of the 1958 season was that the Big Red tripled the previous year’s number of wins (from one to three). The second meeting was last season in conference play when Nebraska traveled to West Lafayette again before crushing the Boilermakers 44-7.

Purdue comes into the game 3-5 overall (1-3 Big Ten). Darrell Hazell, formerly Kent State’s head coach in 2011 and 2012, was snatched up by Purdue after accumulating a 16-10 record. He also spent time as an assistant under former Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel.

The Boilermakers are definitely in a rebuilding phase, but considering they’re 4-16 overall under Hazell’s watch, the outcome may still be hard to stomach.

Don’t worry, Purdue fans. While the Huskers may dominate, there’s a wonderful football atmosphere in Lincoln. Make sure you try a Runza (it may be bought for you)!

Purdue is led by dual threat quarterback, Austin Appleby. He’s completed 60.4 percent of his throws for 655 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions along with an average of 44 rushing yards per game.

Running back Akeem Hunt leads the team in rushing with 640 yards on the season. Purdue’s rushing attack isn’t too bad averaging 180.9 yards per game. The Blackshirt linebackers better focus on tackling in space.

The Big Red offense only needs to worry about eliminating mistakes as the Boilermaker defense is allowing an average of 429 total yards per game.

Let’s take a look at which team has The EDGE:

Nebraska drops from No. 9 to No. 13 in total offense, averaging 514.8 yards. Purdue ranks No. 84 in total defense, allowing 429.3 yards.

EDGE: Nebraska

Purdue ranks No. 99 in total offense, averaging 362.8 yards while Nebraska ranks No. 25 in total defense (up from No. 36 last week) allowing 339.8 yards.

EDGE: Nebraska

Nebraska moves up from No. 5 from No. 7 in rushing, averaging 293.4 yards and has the nations leading rusher in Abdullah. Purdue ranks No. 78 in defending the run allowing 173.8 yards.

EDGE: Nebraska

Purdue ranks No. 49 in rushing, averaging 180.9 yards per game, while Nebraska ranks No. 29 (up from No. 33) in defending the run, allowing 123.8 yards.

EDGE: Nebraska

Nebraska’s passing ranks drops from No. 67 to No. 78 with 221.4 yards per game. Purdue ranks No. 93 in defending the pass, allowing 255.5 yards.

EDGE: Nebraska

Purdue ranks No. 104 in passing, averaging only 181.9 yards per game. The Huskers move up to No. 49 from 55 in defending the pass, allowing 216 yards.

EDGE: Nebraska

Nebraska moves up from No. 8 to No. 6 in special teams efficiency while Purdue checks in at No. 40.

EDGE: Nebraska

Nebraska drops from No. 53 to No. 58 in turnover margin with an even mark. Purdue sits at No. 90 with a -0.38 margin.

EDGE: Nebraska

Clearly, the Huskers are the better team in every category on paper .

The spread opened with Huskers favored by 24.5 (that’s a lot), though it’s dipped to 23.5 across the board. Nebraska shouldn’t have any trouble reaching the spread and going beyond if the offense clicks.

Husker Football: The EDGE! – Purdue Boilermakers

By Kelli Anne | Oct 30, 2014