John Bailey
It might be the last thing Irish fans want to think about after the catastrophe that occurred last Saturday afternoon, but the Notre Dame football team will play another game this weekend. In fact, the Irish have at least 10 games remaining in a season that has already begun to careen off the rails into the canyon of despair. But fret not. Soon, nightmares of Huskies will be replaced with sweet dreams of the Leprechaun bursting out of the Purdue Big Bass Drum while Purdue Pete looks on with his soulless eyes.
Though he did so against the not-so-mighty Sycamores of Indiana State, Boilermaker quarterback Hudson Card went 24 for 25 for 273 yards and four touchdowns. Near-perfect. He has no glaring weaknesses in his game, consistently proving himself capable of making throws at all three levels and spreading the ball around to get every receiver involved and keep them engaged. However, the wide receiver room remains a question mark, talented yet unproven. As such, offensive coordinator Graham Harrell will look to tight end Max Clare as well as running backs Devin Mockobee and Reggie Love III to make plays after the catch. As one of the few bright spots last week against NIU, sophomore linebacker Jaiden Ausberry’s excellent pass coverage could prove crucial to stifling Card and the Boilermaker offense. His instinctual awareness, long speed and quick reflexes allow Ausberry to work more than just zone assignments, setting him up to shut down Clare over the middle or either running back in the slot.
Thanks to its dominance over the alma mater of “Larry Legend”, the Purdue defense ranks first in points allowed and fourth in yards allowed. With a talented secondary led by preseason All-American Dillon Thieneman, this defense will look to take advantage of Notre Dame’s struggles passing the ball. He doesn’t have to light up the scoreboard with multiple deep touchdowns, but senior quarterback Riley Leonard must consistently move the chains with his arm if he wants to snuff out any quarterback controversy.
Purdue’s strong defense and Notre Dame’s anemic offense will keep the game close through three quarters, but the Irish pass rush and ground game will wear down the Boilermakers in a game that will be much closer than the final score indicates.
Prediction: Notre Dame 35, Purdue 21
Noah Cahill
Throughout Marcus Freeman’s tenure, the Irish have struggled with success. For every marquee win Freeman has on his resume (Clemson, USC, Texas A&M), there seems to be a devastating loss in the vicinity (Marshall, Stanford, NIU). However, one thing Freeman has proven is his ability to get his guys to respond to adversity. I expect this Irish group to come out with a far greater sense of urgency on Saturday afternoon in Ross-Ade Stadium.
Purdue has had its moments over the past decade upsetting top-ranked teams. If the Boilermakers want to pull off another this weekend, they will need to see similar production to Week One from the passing attack. Quarterback Hudson Card threw for 273 yards and four touchdowns in the season opener en route to a 49-0 rout over Indiana State. Coming fresh off a bye week, look for this offense to air it out early and often.
However, the Irish defense will prove to be too much in this game. I anticipate a response upfront from a defensive line that got pushed around against NIU. I also see the elite secondary shutting down this young Boilermaker wide receiver corps. Propped up by a strong defensive performance, the Irish offense will do just enough. Denbrock will feed his running backs all afternoon and control the game on the ground en route to a comfortable and much-needed Irish victory.
Prediction: Notre Dame 27, Purdue 13
Matthew Crow
This feels like a tough one to get a read on. It’s anyone’s guess how Notre Dame will come out of the gates following a huge win and disastrous loss over the past two weekends, and Purdue remains something of a mystery at this stage of the season, having comfortably cruised past FCS opponent Indiana State 49-0 in week one prior to an early bye week. Notre Dame fans continue to be disappointed with the string of Irish home defeats against heavy underdogs in recent years, but the program under Marcus Freeman has shown a consistent ability to remain focused and confident amid adversity and bounce back quickly following losses. With their backs against the wall, I expect the Irish to come away with a key road win and get their season back on track.
After a surprisingly up-and-down first half against the Huskies, the Notre Dame defense was its usual dominant self after the break and held its opponent to just a single touchdown for the second straight week. I look for more of the same against Purdue, and the key matchup of the game will be the elite Irish secondary attempting to slow down the Boilermakers’ passing attack led by quarterback Hudson Card, who was nearly perfect with four touchdowns in his season opener.
Offensively, the Irish will continue to lean on running back Jeremiyah Love, who has averaged nearly seven yards a carry while looking like one of the nation’s top backfield threats. Graduate wide receiver Beaux Collins could be the X-factor for the Irish. Collins has been targeted just 12 times across two games but has fully capitalized on those opportunities, establishing himself as Riley Leonard’s go-to target with 10 receptions for 107 yards while leading the team in receiving in both games. If those six targets per game can turn into 12 or 13 on Saturday, it could help Notre Dame’s passing attack find the breakthrough that it’s been so desperately looking for. In a tense, low-scoring duel, the Irish will get it done against their in-state rival.
Prediction: Notre Dame 23, Purdue 10
Annika Herko
Purdue is coming off a big win against a small school, like Notre Dame should have. Boilermaker quarterback Hudson Card had a huge game while Irish headliner Riley Leonard struggled to get anything done. However, I believe the Irish will bounce back in West Lafayette (because they absolutely have to).
The Notre Dame coaching staff will watch the game footage from last week and adjust. The game plan this week should reflect Leonard’s strengths and work to get him comfortable in the pocket again. With the offense under pressure, the Irish defense needs to step up and make more of an impact in games by generating turnovers. Notre Dame stops the bleeding and gets a somewhat strong win over Purdue.
Prediction: Notre Dame 35, Purdue 14
Madeline Ladd
Though the Irish managed to derail a promising season last week, all hope is not lost. Now, the Marcus Freeman roller coaster is back in action as the Irish prepare for a tricky intrastate matchup against Purdue in West Lafayette.
Purdue, coming off a bye week following a 49-0 shutout of Indiana State, is eager to build on its early success under second-year coach Ryan Walters. Quarterback Hudson Card has been razor-sharp, completing 24 of 25 passes in the season opener. With star wide receiver Deion Burks gone, the Boilermakers will likely lean on the ground game — much like NIU. Notre Dame’s defense will need to stiffen up against Purdue’s backfield duo of Devin Mockobee and Reggie Love III, avoiding the holes it created last week.
For the Irish, Riley Leonard’s ineffective passing has been compounded by a shoulder injury. Notre Dame is one of five teams in the FBS to yet throw a touchdown, and this must change.
It’s simple. Freeman has to instill the fire we witnessed at Texas A&M. Leonard must make better reads and hit his receivers (who need to create separation) in stride. Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price must be fed and Mitchell Evans needs to be involved. The defensive line has to show up and provide the pressure they are capable of.
Freeman has steadied the ship after tough losses before, and the hope is that he can reinstill the fire that was seen at A&M.
Prediction: Notre Dame 35, Purdue 17
Tyler Reidy
It’s not going to be pretty, but the Irish won’t lose this game. They can’t, right? Marcus Freeman’s teams have always bounced back well from gutting losses, and it’s hard to imagine the chaos that would follow Notre Dame departing the playoff picture by mid-September 1-2 start. Now, we still have very little reason to believe in the Irish offense. Quarterback Riley Leonard, if he does suit up, will be playing through pain. He and the Notre Dame passing game haven’t moved well under any circumstances this year. Maybe a quarterback change sparks the Irish this week, but either way, any points put on the board Notre Dame will have pieced together.
What I think really gives Notre Dame a clear edge in this game is, per usual, its defense. Northern Illinois pushed the Irish around last week, firing off chunk plays and running the ball largely at will. That won’t sit well with Al Golden’s unit, which I believe has a favorable matchup against Purdue’s pass-first offense. Dynamic quarterback will make some plays early and the Boilermakers will start fast on the heels of a bye week, but Notre Dame’s ability to play the long game will result in win number two.
Prediction: Notre Dame 27, Purdue 17
