TCU football battles dangerous Purdue team in Week 3
TCU football has its first test of the 2019 season taking on the Purdue Boilermakers. Which team ends up on top in this Big Ten/Big 12 matchup?
The TCU Horned Frogs had Week 2 off but opened up the season with a 39-7 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, so their road game against the Purdue Boilermakers will be their first true sign of how good of a team the Horned Frogs are in 2019.
On the other side of the field, the Purdue Boilermakers should easily be 2-0 but instead enter this match up 1-1. A blown lead in Week 1 gives them their lone loss on the season while last week’s win versus Vanderbilt but them at .500.
The Horned Frogs are trying to stay afloat in the Big 12 while the Boilermakers are searching for consistency in 2019. But only one can be the winner in this one.
Here’s how you can watch Saturday’s game between TCU and Purdue:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 14
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: West Lafayette, Ind.
Venue: Ross-Ade Stadium
TV: BTN
Live Stream: FOX Sports Go or FuboTV
Keys to Victory
The Horned Frogs will need to eliminate Purdue standout, Rondale Moore, from all aspects of impacting the game and force Elijah Sindelar to find other options in the pass game. On offense, TCU will need to get their own passing game going as Purdue is allowing nearly 450 yards per game through the air.
Moore — just get the ball to him. Purdue thrives on Moore’s big-play abilities and should look to break some big plays early on, getting Sindelar comfortable and letting him air it out throughout the game. Defensively, Purdue needs to have a reality check with their secondary or else they could find themselves down and out.
Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of Bovada
Point Spread: TCU -2.5
Over/under: 51.5
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Prediction
If this was a few years ago, TCU would be a clear favorite, but the Horned Frogs could be on a slight decline, while the Boilermakers are moving upwards. TCU is able to fend off Moore in the first half but he breaks out in the second half, providing a spark to the Purdue offense in an offensive shootout that goes down to the final minutes. Purdue scores late and holds on for the upset.
Final: Purdue 45, TCU 38