Purdue will host Indiana State on Saturday afternoon in West Lafayette, Ind., in the season opener for both teams as they face each other for the second time in three years.
Purdue easily won the most recent meeting, 56-0 in 2022, and leads the all-time series 6-0.
The Boilermakers went only 4-8 overall and 3-6 in the Big Ten last season but still should have an easy time with Indiana State, which finished 1-10 (1-7 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference).
The Sycamores have just three wins in the past two seasons, and two came against winless Western Illinois.
Indiana State coach Curt Mallory said he believes his offensive line is stronger than last season, which will have to be the case if the Sycamores hope to stay in Saturday’s game.
“I don’t think there’s a group on this team that works harder,” Mallory said. “And that gives you a chance.”
Indiana State has nine wins all-time against FBS programs, although it’s never beaten a member of the Big Ten. Purdue is 13-0 all-time against the FCS, and the Boilermakers believe they should be improved in Ryan Walters’ second year as head coach.
“I just think we’re in a much better place,” Walters said. “I look back to this time a year ago, knowing what I know now, and seeing what we’re seeing in front of us now, and it’s like, yeah, it’s not close.”
The biggest concern for the Boilermakers is whether they can get improvement out of quarterback Hudson Card.
Card offered decent play last year but didn’t take enough chances downfield. He appeared in 11 games, completing 215 of 365 passes for 2,387 yards and 15 touchdowns with eight interceptions. Card had two interceptions in 201 pass attempts prior to last season.
The Boilermakers imported a pair of receivers from Georgia in CJ Smith and De’Nylon Morrissette, a pair that should give Card the weapons he needs to make Purdue’s offense more vertical.
“I think Hudson is a way different beast. Last year we kind of didn’t have the right pieces around him, but now he’s more confident, more vocal in the locker room. He’s just turned up this year,” sophomore wide receiver Jaron Tibbs said.
The Boilermakers’ biggest strength is in the trenches with four starters back on the offensive line. Purdue also has talented tailback Devin Mockobee, who rushed for 807 yards and six touchdowns on 172 carries last season.
–Field Level Media
