No. 4 Penn State travels to Purdue on Saturday afternoon because the Nittany Lions look to keep up momentum on their march to the 12-team Faculty Soccer Playoff. This would be the first assembly between the 2 groups since 2022 and the second straight dwelling recreation for a Boilermakers squad nonetheless in search of its first win over an FBS opponent this 12 months.
Penn State has gained every of its final 10 video games in opposition to Purdue, driving a profitable streak that stretches all the way in which again to 2004. The Nittany Lions maintain a 16-3 report within the transient collection courting again to 1951.
Penn State has been dominant, as long as its opponent is not Ohio State or Michigan. Within the final three common seasons, the Nittany Lions are 28-0 in opposition to groups with out Buckeye stickers or a winged design on their helmets. That has coincided with a 28-game profitable streak in opposition to unranked opponents, which is the fourth-longest lively FBS win streak.
Penn State is 92-23 total in opposition to non-Ohio State and Michigan groups underneath James Franklin with a plus-16.8 factors per recreation differential.
All that being mentioned, Purdue does have a status as a chaos agent. The Boilermakers have three wins in opposition to top-five opponents as an unranked crew since 2018, essentially the most by an FBS crew in that span.
Penn State vs. Purdue: Have to know
Tyler Warren’s the last word weapon: Few gamers are blossoming in new Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s scheme like Tyler Warren. The star tight finish, who was named to the 2024 CBS Sports activities Midseason All-America crew, has emerged as among the best multi-dimensional threats in school soccer. He traces up tight finish; he splits out at vast receiver; he takes snaps as a wildcat quarterback; he’ll stand within the backfield as a fullback or pure working again. Suffice to say, Penn State strikes him in all places to maintain defenses on their toes and make the most of his distinctive skillset.
As proof of that, Warren had eight catches for 75 yards and two touchdowns speeding in Penn State’s Week 11 win in opposition to Washington. He’s the one FBS tight finish with at the very least eight receptions and two touchdowns on the bottom since 2000. Warren has 681 yards and 4 touchdowns by the air and three on the bottom this 12 months.
Purdue on the unsuitable monitor: As its 1-8 report would possibly point out, it has been a tough 12 months for Purdue. However a deeper dive into these numbers supplies some context as to how dangerous issues have gotten for the Boilermakers. They’ve misplaced eight straight video games since profitable their season opener in opposition to Indiana State, which is tied for the fifth-longest dropping streak in program historical past and is the second-longest lively dropping streak within the nation behind Kent State at 18. All eight of Purdue’s losses have come in opposition to FBS groups. If it may well’t decide up one other win by the top of the season, Purdue would change into the primary Huge Ten crew to complete winless in opposition to the FBS since … 2013 Purdue. The Boilermakers have additionally been outscored by 28.3 factors per recreation in opposition to FBS opponents — the worst by a Huge Ten crew since 1983 Minnesota.
Highway warrior Penn State: Usually, home-field benefit favors, effectively, the house crew. However Penn State has made a pleasant residing on the street this 12 months. The Nittany Lions are 3-0 because the away crew for the primary time since 2019, they usually’re searching for their first 4-0 begin exterior of the pleasant confines of Beaver Stadium since 2011. Extra on this within the “prediction” part, however Penn State can be a bigger street favourite in opposition to Purdue than it has been in 30 years.
Tips on how to watch Penn State vs. Purdue stay
Date: Saturday, Nov. 16 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Ross-Ade Stadium — West Lafayette, Indiana
TV: CBS | Dwell stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports activities App (Free)
Streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime (Strive It Free)
Penn State vs. Purdue prediction, picks
The road skews closely in the direction of Penn State, however the Nittany Lions ought to have the ability to decide their rating in opposition to a hapless Purdue crew. Particularly since there isn’t any assure that the Boilermakers will truly have the ability to rating Saturday. In its final two video games in opposition to ranked convention opponents, Purdue has put a mixed zero factors on the board. Even when Purdue in some way can transfer the ball, good cash says that it may well’t hold tempo in opposition to a revitalized Penn State offense. Ryan Walters’ protection has allowed at the very least 35 factors in 4 out of six Huge Ten video games this 12 months. Both approach you shake it, the Boilermakers are woefully overmatched. It ought to be a great day for the betting favorites. Decide: Penn State -28.5 (-108)
All odds through Caesars Sportsbook. Try the most recent Caesars promo code to get within the recreation.
SportsLine’s confirmed pc mannequin is asking for six outright upsets in Week 12 of school soccer. Go to SportsLine now to see all of them, plus get unfold picks for each recreation from the mannequin that simulates each matchup 10,000 instances.