Tag: Purdue Boilermakers

Alabama 2024-25 Opponent Preview: Purdue Boilermakers

A pair of Final Four teams from last season will meet Friday night in West Lafayette.

On Friday night, not only with the Alabama Crimson Tide play what is likely their toughest opponent of the 2024-25 college basketball season so far, but the program also travels away from Coleman Coliseum for the first time this season.

That is because the Crimson Tide will travel north Friday night for what is easily one of college basketball’s top matchups so far this season against the Purdue Boilermakers.

This is also Alabama’s first Top 25 matchup of the season so far, and will be a test for the Crimson Tide, who are set to play multiple ranked teams over the next couple of weeks.

As for Purdue, let’s take a look at a few things you need to know about the Boilermakers entering Friday night’s contest:

Purdue Boilermakers Team Overview

  • Team Overview: Purdue Boilermakers
  • Conference: Big Ten
  • Arena: Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, Indiana
  • 2024-25 Record: 3-0 overall
  • Ranking: No. 13 in AP Poll, No. 12 in Coaches Poll

The Purdue Boilermakers, similar to Alabama, made a Final Four appearance last season, and are currently off to an undefeated 3-0 overall start to the year. Purdue is also considered among the top teams in the Big Ten this year, and are currently ranked at No. 13 in the latest AP Poll, as well as No. 12 in the Coaches Poll.

Purdue Boilermakers Coaching Staff

  • Head Coach: Matt Painter
  • Assistant Coach: Brandon Brantley
  • Assistant Coach: Terry Johnson
  • Assistant Coach: Paul Lusk

Purdue is led by one of the college basketball’s most accomplished coaches in Matt Painter, who has made 15 NCAA Tournament appearances since taking over the Boilermakers program back in 2005-06. The Boilermakers also have three veteran assistants coaches in Brantley, Johnson, and Lusk, each of which have been at Purdue for multiple seasons.

Purdue Boilermakers 2024-25 Stats

  • PPG: 84.7 (No. 99 in NCAA)
  • PPG Allowed: 69 (No. 165 in NCAA)
  • FG%: 54.4
  • 3P%: 43.7
  • FT%: 69.9
  • RPG: 34.3
  • APG: 20
  • SPG: 6.3
  • BPG: 3

Stats-wise, Purdue is averaging 84.7 PPG for the season, while also giving up 69 PPG to opponents. The Boilermakers also rank Top 20 with both a 54.4% field goal percentage, as well as in three-point percentage at 43.7%.

Purdue Boilermakers Names to Know

  • Braden Smith, Guard – Junior
  • Fletcher Loyer, Guard – Guard
  • Trey Kaufman-Renn, Forward – Junior
  • Myles Colvin, Guard – Sophomore
  • Daniel Jacobsen, Center – Freshman

In conclusion, the Boilermakers are led by a trio of double-digit scorers in Fletcher Loyer, Braden Smith, and Trey Kaufman-Renn, each of which are averaging 15+ PPG so far this season. Of that trio, Smith is one of the top guards in all of college basketball, and is currently averaging 15 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and a Big Ten leading 9.3 APG, while also shooting 44.4% from three, as well as 90% at the free-throw line.

What is Penn State football’s all-time record vs. Purdue?

Penn State looks to continue its dominance against Purdue. The Nittany Lions dominate the series.

After picking up a rebound win last weekend at home in the whiteout game against Washington, Penn State is back on the road this week to take on one of the Big Ten’s cellar dwellers, Purdue. It just so happens Penn State has owned the Boilermakers in the series with the majority of the matchups coming since Penn State joined the Big Ten in the 1990s.

Penn State is 16-1-3 all-time against Purdue. The series dates back to 1951, when Purdue won the first meeting between the two schools in West Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue blanked Penn State 28-0 in the early November meeting. The two schools met the following season (1952) in State College and played to a 20-20 tie for the only tie in the series.

Penn State did not face Purdue again until after joining the Big Ten. After not facing Purdue in each of its first two seasons in the conference in 1993 and 1994, Penn State finally met Purdue in 1995 and started a winning streak with a 26-23 victory. Penn State won six consecutive meetings from 1995 through 2000 before Purdue won back-to-back games in 2003 and 2004, which were two of the worst seasons for the Nittany Lions in the Big Ten era.

Penn State has won 10 straight meetings in the series between 2005 and the most recent meeting in the series in 2022.

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Ohio State football issues availability report for Purdue Boilermakers

Ohio State football issues availability report for Purdue Boilermakers #GoBucks

Ohio State football kicks off against the Purdue Boilermakers at Noon ET on Fox and a defensive star has been listed as available on the most recent availability report. Defensive lineman, Tyleik Williams, went down with an injury against the Penn State Nittany Lions last weekend, but looks like he will be back and ready to go against Purdue.

The offensive side of the football has taken the biggest hit again this week as tight end, Will Kacmarek, and offensive tackle, Zen Michalski, both listed as out for another week. Obviously, offensive tackle, Josh Simmons, is out once again as he suffered a season-ending injury against the Oregon Ducks.

Overall the injury report is more good news than bad, as rumors have been swirling about the Williams injury being bad enough to keep him out multiple weeks. Whether he plays this week or not is still a question, but the fact his name is not listed on the injury report is exciting. The report is listed as follows:

Out

RB TC Caffey
TE Will Kacmarek
OT Zen Michalski
TE Jace Middleton
OT Josh Simmons
CB Calvin Simpson-Hunt

Ohio State football releases game trailer for Purdue game

Together #GoBucks

It’s time to get ready for the next one on the schedule. Ohio State welcomes the Purdue Boilermakers to the Horseshoe for a Big Ten showdown. Purdue limps into the matchup having lost seven straight.

The Buckeye media team has released game trailer No. 9 to get fans hyped up for the Boilers. After coming out of Happy Valley with a win, it’s easy to see this team is locked in and playing together.

Give it a watch as Ohio State prepares for the Boilermakers. And don’t forget to take a look at our preview and prediction for game insights.

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What Purdue head coach Ryan Walters said about Ohio State before game Saturday

Based on his comments, Purdue head coach Ryan Walters knows the challenge Purdue faces on Saturday. #GoBucks

After a big win on the road vs. No. 3 Penn State, Ohio State how heads back home to host the Purdue Boilermakers at Noon ET on Saturday. The Boilermakers have had a challenging season but have played better as of late, going to two overtimes in the last three weeks.

That wasn’t against teams the caliber of what Purdue will face on Saturday though and head coach Ryan Walters knows it.

He met with the media in West Lafayette this week to discuss the state of his team and the challenge of playing such a talented Buckeyes squad on the road and thanks to the Purdue Exponent, we have his press conference in its entirety if you are so inclined.

To hear his comments about Ohio State, you’ll have to move past the ten minute mark, but he is very complimentary of the talent and coaching on both side of the ball. Have a watch and listen for yourself.

Don’t forget to come back to Buckeyes Wire to get more coverage of Ohio State football as we lead into the game Saturday and after. And while you are at it, be sure to check out Ohio State head coach Ryan Day’s weekly press conference previewing the matchup with Purdue from Tuesday as well.

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Ohio State head coach Ryan Day previews Purdue

Ryan Day met with the media to discuss the win over Penn State and to look ahead to the game vs. Purdue. #GoBucks

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day was still basking in the glow of the win on the road vs. Penn State when he stepped to the podium for his weekly press conference on Tuesday.

He was there to look ahead to the contest vs. Purdue this Saturday but a lot of the questions and comments revolved around the top-three win in Happy Valley on Saturday, and for good reason.

If you want to catch up on anything and everything Day said when it comes to the state of where Ohio State is, you can watch and listen to everything below thanks to the WBNS 10TV YouTube Channel.

Day discussed the play of all units vs. Penn State, how his team has to be focused on Purdue, building on what occurred over the weekend, and much more.

Ohio State and Purdue are set to kick things off at Noon Saturday and we’ll be here before, during, and after for all the coverage you want.

ESPN FPI matchup predictions for Penn State’s remaining schedule starting with this week’s game vs. Washington

How much will Penn State’s season be impacted by this weekend’s loss at home to Ohio State? According to the latest numbers, it may not have changed all that much for the Nittany Lions. This week’s updated look at the win percentages for Penn State …

How much will Penn State’s season be impacted by this weekend’s loss at home to Ohio State? According to the latest numbers, it may not have changed all that much for the Nittany Lions.

This week’s updated look at the win percentages for Penn State still shows the Nittany Lions in a favorable spot in each of its remaining games. Each win probability did drop slightly this week, but not enough to raise much concern. The exception to that is the upcoming road trip to Minnesota. That matchup continues to trend in an ominous direction by the week and has now dropped Penn State’s win probability below 70% after the results of Week 10. Minnesota is a team trending up and is looking more like a problem for Penn State coming up.

Here is a look at the updated win probabilities for Penn State for each remaining game according to ESPN’s analytics.

Beaver Stadium (University Park, Pennsylvania)

Predicted Winner | Penn State
Nittany Lions Win Probability | 87.2% (was 89.2%)
All-Time Series | PSU leads 3-0

Projected Running Record | 8-1

Ross-Ade Stadium (West Lafayette, Indiana)

Predicted Winner | Penn State
Nittany Lions Win Probability | 96.5% (was 96.7%)
All-Time Series | PSU leads 16-3-1

Projected Running Record | 9-1

Huntington Bank Stadium (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Predicted Winner | Penn State
Nittany Lions Win Probability | 68.7% (was 72.1%)
All-Time Series | PSU leads 10-6

Projected Running Record | 10-1

Beaver Stadium (University Park, Pennsylvania)

Predicted Winner | Penn State
Nittany Lions Win Probability | 89.5% (was 89.9%)
All-Time Series | PSU leads 43-1-3

Projected Running Record | 11-1

Penn State’s shot at a Big Ten title did get a lot tougher this weekend as a result of the loss to the Buckeyes. Penn State now has the fourth-best odds of winning the Big Ten mostly because it is much more challenging just to get into the conference championship game. ESPN’s FPI numbers agree, giving Penn State a 5.1% chance to win the Big Ten.

The good news is Penn State still has a favorable outlook to reach the College Football Playoff. ESPN’s FPI numbers give Penn State a 73.7% chance of being one of the 12 teams in this year’s playoff field, the eighth-best odds in the nation. Once they get there, however, Penn State is a long shot to win it all. ESPN’s FPI gives Penn State a 9.2% chance of reaching the College Football Playoff and a 4.0% chance of winning the national title.

But at least there’s a chance!

Chiefs scouting report: Purdue Boilermakers OT Marcus Mbow

The Kansas City #Chiefs should consider selecting Purdue #Boilermakers offensive tackle Marcus Mbow in the 2025 NFL draft.

The Kansas City Chiefs found a gem when they selected Trey Smith in the sixth round in 2021. Smith is one of the league’s best run-blocking guards, but he will enter free agency in 2025. His next contract’s average annual salary could price him out of Kansas City’s range and send the Chiefs back to the draft.

Purdue offensive lineman Marcus Mbow plays right tackle for the Boilermakers but projects best as a guard at the next level because he lacks the length and weight of a traditional offensive tackle. He suffered a significant season-ending leg injury in 2023 but is performing at a high level this year.

Mbow is an explosive athlete who quickly gets out of the blocks at the snap. His range in pass protection allows him to drive rushers up and around the pocket. Mbow possesses a surprisingly sturdy anchor for his build. He wears down power rushers gradually until the defender’s leg drive stalls.

Mbow posted elite tape against Oregon earlier this season. He attacked the Ducks with his polished, combative hands. Few offensive linemen in the 2025 class use as many counters and snatch-traps as Mbow. Even Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon ended up on the turf when facing Mbow.

Mbow’s movement skills and ferocity translate to the run game. He is one of the quickest linemen in space in the past few draft cycles. Mbow hunts down linebackers and introduces them to his mauler mentality.  He plays through the whistle with elite effort.

The Boilermakers play their next game at home against Northwestern on November 2 at 11 a.m CST. Wildcats star pass rusher Anto Saka is a notorious big game hunter who embarrassed eventual 2024 NFL draft picks Graham Barton and Caedan Wallace last season. The matchup between Mbow and Saka will be must-see TV.

Oregon Ducks take over top spot in US LBM Coaches Poll in Week 9

For the first time since 2012, the Oregon Ducks rank atop the college football world.

How coincidental is it that the Georgia Bulldogs propelled Dan Lanning’s Oregon Ducks to this position?

For the first time since 2012, Oregon are the No. 1 in the country in the US LBM Coaches Poll. The Ducks moved into the top spot after watching UGA go into Austin and methodically dismantle the No. 1 Texas Longhorns, 30-15. They took a commanding 23-0 halftime lead.

Who knows how often Lanning communicates with his old coaching boss Kirby Smart, but a quick thank-you text might be appropriate here.

The Ducks are 7-0 and will be favored in the majority of their games the rest of the way. Oregon was ranked No. 1 when it had a 12-0 season in 2010 before losing in the national championship game.

Oregon is still riding high after its win over Ohio State. The Ducks have already shown they can move on with the schedule with a dominating 35-0 victory over Purdue. A team such as Alabama showed it couldn’t do the same thing. The Crimson Tide defeated Georgia but went on the road the next week and lost to Vanderbilt.

Here’s the Top 25 US LBM Coaches poll.

Rank Team Record Points
1 Oregon 7-0 1,323 (51)
2 Georgia 6-1 1,238 (2)
3 Penn State 6-0 1,197
4 Ohio State 5-1 1,107
5 Miami (FL) 7-0 1,087
6 Texas 6-1 1,082
7 LSU 6-1 946
8 Tennessee 6-1 916
9 Clemson 6-1 907
10 Iowa State 7-0 829
11 Notre Dame 6-1 809
12 BYU 7-0 740
13 Indiana 7-0 651
14 Texas A&M 6-1 641
15 Alabama 5-2 554
16 Kansas State 6-1 488
17 Missouri 6-1 486
18 Ole Miss 5-2 444
19 Boise State 5-1 379
20 Pittsburgh 6-0 359
21 Illinois 6-1 347
22 SMU 6-1 249
23 Army 7-0 185
24 Navy 6-0 115
25 Vanderbilt 5-2 37

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Updated Big Ten football standings after Week 8: Indiana and Oregon in first-place tie

Could we get an Oregon vs. Indiana Big Ten championship game? Updated Big Ten football standings after Week 8.

While Penn State was off this past week, the Nittany Lions remained one of three undefeated teams in Big Ten play this fall. But Penn State is now, technically, looking up in the updated Big Ten conference standings following the results of Week 8. Indiana and Oregon remained undefeated this season and improved to 4-0 in Big Ten play with blowout wins this weekend. Penn State will not face either team in the regular season, so watching what they do is critical if Penn State can continue to take care of its own schedule the rest of the way. Penn State is gearing up for a challenging three-game stretch beginning with this week’s road trip to Wisconsin.

Wisconsin is seemingly surging at a good time too with another dominant performance on the scoreboard against its opponent. Wisconsin has outscored its last three opponents by a combined score of 117-16 (Rutgers, Northwestern, and Purdue). Of course, the Badgers will also be facing their biggest challenge since playing Alabama and USC in back-to-back weeks in September.

Here is a look at the updated Big Ten football standings at the conclusion of Week 8.

B1G W B1G L W L
Indiana 4 0 7 0
Oregon 4 0 7 0
Penn State 3 0 6 0
Illinois 3 1 6 1
Wisconsin 3 1 5 2
Ohio State 2 1 5 1
Iowa 2 2 4 3
Washington 2 2 4 3
Michigan 2 2 4 3
Michigan State 2 2 4 3
Nebraska 2 2 5 2
Minnesota 2 2 4 3
Northwestern 1 3 3 4
Maryland 1 3 4 3
Rutgers 1 3 4 3
USC 1 4 3 4
UCLA 1 4 2 5
Purdue 0 4 1 6

Indiana, Oregon, Penn State, and Illinois are all officially bowl-eligible. No team in the Big Ten is ineligible for postseason play, but Purdue is now sitting on six losses this season, putting them on the brink of being the first Big Ten to be ruled ineligible for a bowl game this season.

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