Staff Predictions: Purdue
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Last season the Buckeyes dropped a tough game against Purdue after a blocked PAT sent the game to overtime where the Buckeyes eventually fell for a second time in West Lafayette (Ind.).
This weekend the game is back in Columbus however and Ohio State's fortunes against Purdue has been much better at home than on the road.
But this has been a strange year for the Big Ten and for the Buckeyes. Ohio State's defense has been nowhere nearly as dominant as in years past but the offense has been putting up points in bunches. Will Saturday follow suit?
We take a look at how our staff sees things playing out in our Staff Predictions.
Kevin Noon - Publisher
At this point I have a hard time saying that teams that have any element of the spread will not score a bunch of points on the Ohio State defense. I don't think that Purdue has as many weapons as some of the other teams that have gotten fat on the Ohio State defense but at the same time I have seen this defense give up points in bunches. That is the bad news. The good news is that Ohio State's offense will score a lot of points, the Boilers have given up an average of 41 points in Big Ten games.
Purdue is 11th in rushing defense in the league and Ohio State has been putting up more than 300 yards a game on the ground in the last two games. The Buckeyes will find a way to limit Kawann Short's impact on the line and just 'outscore' Purdue in a shootout. Ohio State 56 Purdue 31
Ben Axelrod - Lead Team Writer
I can't figure out if the Buckeyes are extremely predictable this season, or impossible to figure out. On the one hand, they seem to do things well in streaks, but on the other, they seem to play down or up to the level of their competition, and that makes this weekend's game extremely difficult to predict, since the Boilermakers are just as difficult to understand. With that in mind, I think Ohio State will keep its undefeated record intact, but that it won't come as easy as many would think, since none of its games really have. I think the offense continues rolling, and the defense shows signs of improvement- but only that- as the Buckeyes roll to a two-score victory. Ohio State 45 Purdue 30
Marc Givler - Recruiting Analyst
The Ohio State defense is struggling right now and the Boilermakers have enough talent on offense to cause some problems. Still, Purdue is struggling mightily on the defensive side of the football while the Ohio State offense has been firing on all cylinders. After being challenged by the coaching staff and the fans, I look for the Ohio State defense to play better than it has the last two weeks and get enough stops for the Buckeyes to move to 8-0. Ohio State 41 Purdue 24
Jeremy Birmingham - Team Writer
Michigan State? Vanquished. Nebraska? Demolished. Up next on the 2012 Buckeye revenge tour? Purdue. The Boilermakers enter Ohio Stadium with a two game winning streak against the Buckeyes, and having beaten the Buckeyes four of the last ten official meetings between the two teams. After last weekend's near debacle in Bloomington, the injury-riddled and "exposed" (Urban Meyer's words, not mine) Buckeye defense will see yet another variation of the spread offense they've struggled so mightily against. The Boiler's 77th ranked offense could only muster 27 points at the last two weeks against Michigan and Wisconsin for a combined 465 yards. Will the Buckeyes, with more involvement from Urban Meyer on defense, be able to settle down and dominate a noon home game against an underwhelming opponent? Can Braxton Miller and the Buckeye offense, averaging forty points a game, play four good quarters instead of two? Fool me once, shame on you; fool me eight times? Shame on me. Buckeyes will win, but it won't be pretty. Ohio State 35 Purdue 24
Andy McLachlan - Team Writer
Earlier in the season, one would imagine this would be a low-scoring game but with both defenses reeling, we may see 100 points scored in the 'shoe...again. The major difference in this game is Braxton Miller vs. the 34 quarterbacks Danny Hope rotates. Miller's been nothing short of fantastic while Purdue is checking to see if Joey Elliott has any eligibility left. The Boilermakers will get their points because, hey, who hasn't scored on the Silver Bullets lately. But there's only one Heisman candidate on the field this Saturday and difference makers like Miller gets you W's. Ohio State 52 Purdue 27
Tom Levenick - Time and Change Contributor/Former Player
Ohio State returns home for a revenge game against the Purdue Boilermakers after losing 26 - 23 in overtime last year in West Lafayette. I believe the Boilers are coming to the Horseshoe at the wrong time, with the Buckeyes angry and embarrassed by their performance against Indiana. The Bucks have had difficulty with spread offenses so far in 2012, but will begin to tighten things up against Purdue. Caleb Terbush and the Boilermakers will move the ball, but not as successfully as in the past, especially without wide receiver O.J. Ross. Purdue, ranked #11 in the Big Ten in total defense, will not be able to handle the diversity of Miller, Hyde, Brown, Smith and Roby. I see the Buckeyes winning significantly. Ohio State 56 Purdue 17
Doug Bean - Team Writer/Social Media
Given Ohio State's recent track record against Purdue, Buckeyes fans understandably might feel a little uneasy heading into Saturday's game in Ohio Stadium. Last year's visit to West Lafayette was a disaster. So was 2009. Even in the 2002 national championship season, it took a miracle to get past the Boilermakers. So should the Buckeyes be worried this year? No. Purdue has deteriorated after a somewhat promising start. And its defense is bad, giving up 123 points in the past three weeks. Braxton Miller and the Ohio State offense should be able to score almost at will. The only question is whether the defense can make some stops. Ohio State 59 Purdue 24
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