MADISON- Last season Wisconsin handled a beat-up Purdue Boilermakers team 45-24 at Camp Randall, and Purdue then finished the season 4-7. This year is a completely different story for this Boilermaker team as they return many of the star players that they lost to injury last season.
Jack Plummer will return to the starting line up after suffering a broken ankle. Last season Purdue played Wisconsin with their fourth-string quarterback, Aiden O’Connell, who was previously a walk on. This came after injuries to Elijah Sindelar, Nick Sipe, and Jack Plummer. Plummer had an unimpressive stat line last season, but he shined in the wins against Nebraska and Maryland. After having an offseason to prepare and recover he is primed to have a break out year in the Big Ten this season.
Randale Moore will also be returning healthy this season after he spent most of last season struggling with a nagging hamstring injury. In the two games he played in healthy last season, Moore averaged 172 yards and a touchdown. This is coming after he won the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2018 after having 1,164 yards and 12 touchdowns in his first season as a Boilermaker. Moore is a playmaker that can also contribute in the return game and will be exciting to watch healthy this season.
The other wide receiver for Purdue, Jared Sparks, will also be returning after missing all but three games last season with an ankle injury. Sparks will surely be a major contributor this season as he was the number one receiver next to Moore last year.
Several defensive players including Marvin Grant and Kieren Douglas will all also be returning after missing much of last season with injuries.
This Purdue team has their playmakers back on offense and a defense that is returning alot of solid players with experience, which could give Wisconsin a challenge in November. This team is losing star tight end, Brycen Hopkins, to the NFL, but they are getting back alot of their team from injury. This game could be a surprise trap game in the home stretch of the season for the Badgers. Purdue only lost to Wisconsin by three in a shootout in 2018, this year could be the same with the reloaded offense of the Boilermakers.