No. 3 Ohio State hosts Purdue in a key Big Ten matchup as the Buckeyes hope to continue down a path to the College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes are fresh off a 20-13 win over Penn State State behind 176 yards on the ground against a top-ranked defensive front.
Purdue has fallen apart in Ryan Walters’ second season. The Boilermakers have lost all seven games against power conference competition and have played only two games within one score. Purdue gave its best effort in a 26-20 overtime loss to Northwestern last week, but ultimately fell short.
The Buckeyes have dominated this conference rivalry to the tune of 41-15-2. However, Purdue pulled a massive upset 49-20 in 2018 to keep Ohio State out of the College Football Playoff. It seems unlikely the Boilermakers will repeat that feat in Ohio Stadium this year.
Ohio State vs. Purdue: Need to know
Star receivers: Ohio State boasts perhaps the most dynamic wide receiver room in the country and sits among the national leaders in passing offense. Freshman Jeremiah Smith ranks No. 2 in the Big Ten with 678 yards and eight touchdowns, while senior Emeka Egbuka is tied for No. 5 with 72 yards per game and seven scores. The Buckeyes will challenge Purdue’s secondary, which has been a rare strength. The group is a big part of the reason Ohio State has the second-best betting odds (-4000) to make the CFP.
Offensive revamp: Since the season started, Purdue has fired offensive coordinator Graham Harrell and benched quarterback Hudson Card, turning to former high school football coach Jason Simmons and freshman Ryan Browne. Results have been mixed since the shift, but Purdue played competitive games against Illinois and Northwestern since the shift. The new group will try to keep the momentum going against a brutal closing schedule.
Getting back on track: Ohio State quarterback Will Howard has been solid, but played one of his most inconsistent games against Penn State. The Pennsylvania native threw a pick six on his first attempt — the only PSU touchdown of the game — and had a bad fumble through the back of the end zone. Howard has to return to form against an overmatched opponent.
How to watch Ohio State vs. Purdue live
Date: Saturday, Nov. 9 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Ohio Stadium — Columbus, Ohio
TV: FOX | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
Ohio State vs. Purdue prediction, picks
The Buckeyes can essentially name a score against a pitiful Purdue team and the Boilermakers have given up plenty of points. Against Notre Dame, Purdue gave up 66, the most the Irish have ever scored in West Lafayette. If Ohio State hits 40, that could be enough to pull off a cover. Pick: Ohio State -37.5
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SportsLine’s proven computer model is calling for five outright upsets in Week 11 of college football. Visit SportsLine now to see them all, plus get spread picks for every game from the model that simulates each game 10,000 times.