Purdue football aims to shake off Nevada heartbreaker vs. Vanderbilt
After tough losses in Week 1, both Vanderbilt and Purdue look to get into the win column. Who will get the job done on Saturday?
They happened in very different fashions, but both Purdue and Vanderbilt suffered defeats in the opening week of the season.
The Commodores fell to Georgia by a score 0f 30-6. The offense had trouble getting going, and quarterback Riley Neal was held to under 100 passing yards on the game.
Meanwhile, the Boilermakers loss a heartbreaker to Nevada. They jumped out a 24-7 lead in the first half, but the offense fell stagnant, and key turnovers late proved to be their undoing. Quarterback Elijah Sindelar had around 75 percent of his production in the first half, and Rondale Moore’s split was even more egregious.
Here’s how you can watch Saturday’s game:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 7
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Location: West Lafayette, Ind.
Venue: Ross-Ade Stadium
TV: Big Ten Network
Live Stream: FOX Sports Go
Keys to Victory
Purdue has the offensive firepower to be successful, they showed that last week. The problem came in producing that consistently for 60 minutes. This team is well-coached, and a renewed focus on a four-quarter performance, as well as eliminating turnovers, could pay dividends.
For the Commodores, it comes down to the production of Ke’Shawn Vaughn. With a passing game that couldn’t eclipse the century-mark last week, the ground game is of paramount importance. For Vanderbilt to take home the victory, Vaughn will have to improve on his 74 yards from a week ago.
Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of Bovada
Spread: Purdue -7
Over/under: 56
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Prediction
Both teams are 0-1, but Purdue has a distinct advantage at the quarterback position. Even in the loss, Sindelar had 400-plus yards and Rondale Moore was explosive. Jeff Brohm will certainly try to bring a more balanced and consistent, while also less erratic, attack from the offense on Saturday.
The Commodores will run the ball well, but at home, Purdue should take home the victory.
Final Score: Purdue 30, Vanderbilt 20