5 reasons Ohio State will route Purdue as Haskins’ Heisman case grows

1. The Buckeyes will limit the Boilermakers’ big plays

It’s well known that the Buckeyes can pass the ball effectively but that is also something the Boilermakers can do just as well. Purdue has quietly been one of the best passing teams in the country. They currently rank eighth in the nation in passing yards per game.

The Buckeyes have been looking to sure up their secondary since the season started and things haven’t looked significantly better but have improved some over time. The secondary did create some turnovers against Minnesota in the last game as they caught two interceptions. The secondary also came up with six pass defends.

It was a solid effort from the secondary overall as they didn’t allow any passing touchdowns, only 218 yards through the air, and came down with two interceptions. Given, it was against a freshman quarterback but it was still encouraging nonetheless. This was one of their best games thus far from a pass defending standpoint.

There is still plenty of work to do when it comes to limiting big plays from getting through the second line of the defense. Run defense was the biggest problem in this game as Minnesota had 178 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. As soon as the runner got to the second level, he was almost free to go as far as he wanted.

The linebackers had a hand in this disparity as well. There’s been plenty of criticism on the linebackers’ inability to fill the holes and wrap up the runners before they get to the second level. They need to do a much better job getting off of blocks and sealing the gaps.

Boilermakers’ senior quarterback David Blough has been essentially a top three quarterback in the Big Ten. His name doesn’t get heard often but he’s quietly thrown for the third most passing yards in the conference and has ten touchdowns with just two interceptions. He will be the Buckeyes’ biggest threat on Saturday night. The Bucks will absolutely need to stop him from getting hot if they want to come out with the victory.

The Buckeyes will also need to look out for receivers Rondale Moore and Isaac Zico. Moore has the second most receiving yards in the conference and has five receiving touchdowns on the season. He also has the second most receptions. Zico is another good receiver the Boilermakers have at their disposal as he has nearly 400 yards and two touchdowns. He had a huge game last week against Illinois where he posted a team high five receptions for 127 yards and two touchdowns.

This will be an important game for the Buckeyes as they have a lot to prove defensively. They need to show that they can control the Boilermakers and stop them from making big plays down the field especially in the passing game.

Purdue’s passing attack has proven to be one of the most productive in the nation and should not be taken lightly. However, if the Buckeyes’ improved play in the secondary from last weekend translates into this game then they should be able to slow them down. Expect the Buckeyes to limit the Boilermakers’ big plays this weekend.