Two teams trending in opposite directions will meet Saturday afternoon in Lincoln, Neb. when one will have the opportunity to maintain standing in the Big Ten West and the other will try desperately to stave off cellar-dweller status.
How to watch Purdue vs. Nebraska: Game guide, TV schedule, streaming, odds
The Huskers seem well situated for their third straight win, while the Boilermakers are on track for their third straight loss.
Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Nebraska enters the week riding a two-game winning streak built on a combined 80-41 margin. Running back Ameer Abdullah is as good as ever, defensive end Randy Gregory continues to dominate Big Ten opponents and the Huskers really only have one regret on the season: that 27-22 loss at Michigan State to open October.
Purdue, meanwhile, unsurprisingly sits at the bottom of the division. Coming off their first bye, the Boilermakers will have to put forth a tremendous effort to stave off a three-game losing skid. Picking out one necessary area of improvement isn’t easy for a team like Purdue, but head coach Darrell Hazell mentioned third-down defense as an especially critical weakness for his team this week. Purdue ranks 121st in allowing opponents third-down conversions on 49.2 percent of plays; Nebraska converts 47.2 percent of such attempts, 19th-best in the country.
How to watch, listen, and stream
Game time: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: ABC/ESPN2
Online streaming: WatchESPN
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The numbers
Rankings and records: Nebraska is 7-1 (3-1 Big Ten) and ranked No. 15 in the inaugural College Football Playoff standings, No. 17 in the AP Top 25 and No. 16 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Purdue is unranked in all polls.
Vegas: Nebraska opened as a 24.5-point favorite and the line has since dropped to 23.5 points. The over/under is set at 61, per Odds Shark.
Weather forecast: Mostly sunny, high of 53 and low of 40.
Two things at stake
Nebraska debuted at No. 15 in the CFB Playoff rankings, and a win is necessary for the Huskers to keep pace with Michigan State (No. 8).
Purdue’s season wouldn’t necessarily be turned around by a win, but it would maintain their slim hopes of bowl eligibility.
One big matchup
Ameer Abdullah vs. Purdue's defense. This one's easy. We already touched upon the third-down battle above; one must only be a casual football fan to recognize Abdullah's importance to Nebraska's offense. The senior tailback has accounted for a shade under 35 percent of Nebraska's offense this season, and Purdue ranks 85th in rushing defense by allowing 4.53 yards per carry. Against an even more underperforming Rutgers defense last week, Abdullah gained 225 yards (11.8 per carry) and scored three touchdowns. It was his fourth 200-yard effort of the season and his third with at least three rushing touchdowns.
Further reading
For more on Nebraska, check out Corn Nation. For more on Purdue, Hammer and Rails has you covered.
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