Buckeyes QB Kyle McCord is hopeful this week to get past his slow starts, as we have seen over the first five games. The good news is McCord closes games strong in the 4th Quarter as he threw for 116 yards and two touchdowns in the final quarter against the Terps last week.
From all indications, RB TreVeyon Henderson will be playing on Saturday for the Buckeyes, which is excellent news for the Ohio State running game. The ground attack has been a hot topic all week about why the Buckeyes are not more successful on the ground as they only gained 62 yards last week against Maryland.
All of the focus has been on the offense this week, but it should not be forgotten that the Buckeyes have a top-ten defense in multiple categories and third nationally in points allowed per game. Last week, they added a pick-six from Josh Proctor, and it was not for a 4th down-botched punt, the defense may have only given up ten points against Maryland.
There’s a lot of discussion about how Purdue can find the Spoilermaker magic in West Lafayette, but when the Boilermakers get the upsets, they usually have playmakers that can help in the upset. They don’t have those playmakers on the 2023 team. I don’t see the Buckeyes looking ahead to Penn State.
In their recent game, Ohio State initially fell behind Maryland during the first half, with a score of 10-3, despite being the heavy 19-point favorites. However, they managed to equalize at 10 points each by halftime on their home turf. The Buckeyes then turned the tide in the second half, ultimately clinching a 37-17 victory. This remarkable comeback was largely attributable to the outstanding performance of star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who made eight receptions for 163 yards and scored a touchdown. Notably, Harrison Jr. had sustained a knee injury in the previous game.
Running back Chip Trayanum assumed a pivotal role, amassing 61 yards on 20 carries, especially significant since TreVeyon Henderson was sidelined with an undisclosed injury.
Reflecting on the game, Ohio State coach Ryan Day expressed, “It was like one of those things — OK, what’s going on here? But that’s the game, and you’ve got to respond. So, I thought we did respond well in the second half. Good rhythm.”
A key element in the Buckeyes’ success is the performance of their quarterback, Kyle McCord. In their matchup with Maryland, the junior quarterback threw for an impressive 320 yards, completing 19 of 29 pass attempts and contributing two touchdowns. McCord has been consistently effective, with a 65.5% completion rate for a total of 1,375 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and just one interception. While he may not be an exceptional runner, his performance has been commendable, especially considering the formidable task of replacing C.J. Stroud, one of Ohio State’s all-time great quarterbacks.
The offense is primarily led by Marvin Harrison Jr., who has made 25 receptions for 499 yards, averaging 20 yards per catch, and scoring four touchdowns. Emeka Egbuka is the second most prolific receiver with 22 receptions for 303 yards and three touchdowns, although his availability remains uncertain due to an injury sustained in the second half of the game against Maryland.
Henderson stands as the team’s leading rusher with 295 yards and five touchdowns, averaging an impressive 6.7 yards per carry. Fortunately, he is expected to return for the upcoming game. Ohio State’s true strength, however, lies in its defensive unit, which has consistently performed admirably. The Buckeyes’ defense ranks among the best, allowing an average of only 264.8 yards per game (8th), 10.2 points per game (3rd), 158.4 passing yards (6th), and 106.4 rushing yards (26th). This sturdy defense faced challenging tests against opponents like Notre Dame and Maryland in recent outings.
Purdue’s path to securing a spot in a bowl game remains viable as they face upcoming matchups against Nebraska, Minnesota, Northwestern, and Indiana. Although a victory against Ohio State at home is within their grasp, it will require an exceptional performance, potentially their best of the season. In their previous outing, they suffered a 20-14 defeat at the hands of Iowa in a game characterized by low scoring, as often seen in Hawkeyes’ home games.
Purdue’s quarterback, Hudson Card, completed 25 of 40 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw two interceptions. Iowa maintained control throughout most of the game, holding a 20-7 lead with just 2 minutes and 54 seconds remaining when the Boilermakers managed to score on a 2-yard touchdown run by Devin Mockobee. After forcing a punt, Purdue did regain possession with two minutes left in the game but couldn’t orchestrate a comeback.
On the defensive side, Purdue’s unit limited Deacon Hill, the opposing quarterback, to just 6 completions out of 21 attempts, despite the opportunity to exploit a situation where Iowa had lost their starting quarterback, Cade McNamara, to injury in the previous game. However, they struggled to defend against the run, conceding a 67-yard touchdown run to Kaleb Johnson in the first quarter.
Purdue has experienced a downturn in their performance, having lost three of their last four games, with their sole victory being a 44-19 win against Illinois during that stretch. Injuries have played a role in their recent struggles, with running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. sustaining an undisclosed injury against Iowa and being listed as doubtful. Tracy Jr. had an impressive performance against Illinois, rushing for 112 yards and scoring a touchdown. Overall, he has accumulated 296 yards with five touchdowns at an average of 5.9 yards per carry this season.
Hudson Card, the Texas transfer quarterback who replaced Aidan O’Connell (now with the Raiders), has completed 63.6% of his passes for 1,491 yards, with six touchdowns and five interceptions. Leading the team in rushing, Devin Mockobee has amassed 368 yards and four touchdowns at an average of 4.2 yards per carry.
Purdue’s offensive statistics show an average of just 141.1 rushing yards per game, ranking 90th nationally, and 389.7 total yards per game, ranking 73rd. Defensively, they allow an average of 28 points per game (ranked 86th) and 226.5 passing yards per game (ranked 68th). Their turnover ratio ranks 98th at -0.5.
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