No. 4 Ohio State returns home Saturday for its first meeting with No. 19 Purdue since the Buckeyes' 2018 loss to the Boilermakers in West Lafayette, Ind.
Here's what you need to know ahead of Saturday's 3:30 p.m. kickoff.
Date: Saturday, Nov. 13
Game time: 3:30 p.m.
Stadium: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH
TV: ABC
Radio: 97.1 The Fan
Line: Ohio State -20
Series: Ohio State leads 39-15-2
Streak: Purdue — one-game win streak
Last meeting: Purdue 49, Ohio State 20 in West Lafayette, Ind., Oct. 20, 2018
NUMBERS TO KNOW
24 — Consecutive Big Ten games Ohio State has won since the Buckeyes' 2018 loss to Purdue
42.5 — Average margin of victory between Ohio State and Purdue in their last two meetings in 2018 (49-20 Purdue) and 2013 (56-0 Ohio State)
7 — Meetings between Ohio State and Purdue since 2000 that have been decided by one score
77.1 — Rushing yards Purdue averages per game, the only team in the Big Ten to average less than 100
4 — Total rushing touchdowns the Boilermakers have recorded in 2021, two of which are by running back Zander Horvath
3 — Yards per rush the Ohio State defense has allowed in 2021, third best in the Big Ten behind Wisconsin and Iowa
536 — Passing yards Purdue quarterback Aidan O'Connell recorded against Michigan State last week, throwing three touchdowns
428 — Passing yards Ohio State's defense allowed against Tulsa in Week 3, the most the Buckeyes have allowed in a single game this season
34 — Sacks Ohio State has recorded in its first nine games, tied with Marshall and Troy for the most in the country
44.9 — Points per game the Ohio State offense averages: No. 1 in the Big Ten and No. 2 in the country
94.7 — Percent of red zone appearances Ohio State's offense has converted on: No. 1 in the Big Ten and No. 4 in the country
5 — Yards per carry Ohio State redshirt freshman quarterback C.J. Stroud is averaging in non-sack situations
KEYS TO THE GAME
Keep the run game at the forefront
Opposing quarterbacks have not found a lot of success against the Purdue pass defense.
The Boilermakers hold the No. 3 pass defense in the Big Ten, allowing an average of 185.3 passing yards per game and seven yards per pass attempt along with being one of six teams in the conference to have allowed less than 10 passing touchdowns this season.
Quarterbacks have only completed 54% of passes this season, tied with Wisconsin for the lowest in the Big Ten.
So how have opposing offenses beaten Purdue? The run game.
The Boilermakers have allowed 144.3 yards per game and 4.2 yards per carry — one of five teams in the conference to allow more than four yards per carry. Twelve of Purdue's 19 touchdowns allowed this season has come from the ground game.
For Ohio State, this is an opportunity for a run game that has struggled in the past two weeks with freshman running back TreVeyon Henderson facing adversity for the first time in his college career and the offensive line failing to find the holes needed for him to get to that second level.
Statistically, Ohio State still has the best run game in the Big Ten, something that will need to show up for the Buckeyes to be able to find that balance and move the ball against the Boilermakers, instead of reverting to the pass game.
Keep Purdue one-dimensional
This should not be an issue for Ohio State since it's something Purdue's offense has been all season long.
The Boilermakers have averaged 77.1 yards per game rushing compared to 332.6 yards passing per game through their first nine games, relying on the arm of Aidan O'Connell to lead the offense to the end zone.
In the first nine games, Ohio State has been able to shut down the outside of the pass game with cornerbacks Denzel Burke, Cameron Brown and Sevyn Banks, but has left the middle of the defense — particularly the area between the safeties and the linebackers — relatively open.
It's led to success from slot receivers across the Big Ten to have success, especially Nebraska wide receiver Samori Toure, who had four catches for 150 yards and a touchdown against the Buckeyes last week.
However, Ohio State does find a way to the quarterback. The Buckeyes have 34 sacks this season, tied with Marshall and Troy for the most in college football.
If Ohio State can get to the quarterback, forcing O'Connell to hold the ball and extra second or two in and around the pocket, the defense should be able to do its job.
Limit the production of the Boilermakers' stars
Purdue's success relies on two players: wide receiver David Bell and defensive end George Karlaftis.
In each of Purdue's victories against top-three opponents — Iowa and Michigan State — Bell was the main factor, recording 457 yards receiving and two touchdowns on 22 receptions.
Bell will primarily be matched up with Burke and Brown on the outside, but could find some space in the middle of the field to find success, much like Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson did against Ohio State.
Ohio State will also have to face what head coach Ryan Day called the offensive line's toughest assignment of the season in Karlaftis. He's been a force on the outside for the Boilermakers, leading the team in tackles for loss, quarterback hits, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries.
Both of these players will be Purdue's path to success, players Ohio State will have to stop if it wants to come out with a win.
SGR Prediction
With what happened when Ohio State last faced Purdue, the idea of "trap game," is in the air in Columbus.
Purdue's success offensively comes where Ohio State's defense is most vulnerable: the pass game. Purdue's success defensively comes where Ohio State's bread-and-butter is offensively: the pass game. This doesn't seem like an ideal matchup, especially with how the Buckeyes have been playing in the past two weeks.
However, Ohio State has the talent in the running game to muster a get-right game, along with an offensive line that's in desperate need of a good performance. Also, the Buckeyes' defensive line is unlike anything Purdue has seen this season, forcing less and less time for O'Connell in the pocket to make plays to Bell or slot receiver Jackson Anthrop.
This isn't a game for Ohio State to look like the No. 4 team in the country. But at this point, the Buckeyes don't need to.
No. 4 Ohio State 34, No. 19 Purdue 17
