Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/100949
matchup preview: Purdue advantage? vs. Oklahoma State PURDUE PASSING GAME VS. Oklahoma State PASS DEFENSE On paper, Oklahoma State���s pass defense looks awful, but it has had its moments, including a game in which it stymied Texas Tech���s prolific pass attack in an emphatic win. On paper, Purdue���s passing attack looks just OK, but it���s had its moments as well, particularly at the end of the regular season. Purdue is trending upward in this phase of the game heading into a game with an opponent that gave up more than 500 passing yards in an overtime loss to Oklahoma. player to watch advantage? Senior quarterback Robert Marve was excellent at the end of the regular season and will not hold anything back in his final college game. He and interim coach and coordinator Patrick Higgins seem to be on the same wavelength. They���ll need to stay that way. PURDUE running GAME VS. Oklahoma State rush DEFENSE If Purdue���s passing game is working, it���ll open up running opportunities, but Oklahoma State���s defense is strong up the middle, and that���s where Purdue found much of its success late in the season, adopting more of a downhill running approach. It will be really interesting to see how the Boilermakers attack the Cowboys. Ralph Bolden was hobbled by a bad hamstring late in the year, but expects to play against the Cowboys. This is his last chance and Purdue may need him running at a high level, like he did at Iowa and Illinois. oklahoma state PASSING GAME VS. purdue PASS DEFENSE Much like Indiana did, Oklahoma State will put constant pressure on Purdue���s defense, all over the field. The loss of coordinator Todd Monken might change things some, but there���s a reason the Cowboys have kept racking up huge passing numbers even after losing first-round picks seemingly every season. Oklahoma State runs quarterbacks in and out, but their target remains the same. The near-1,200-yard receiver Josh Stewart is a star in the making. oklahoma state running GAME VS. purdue rush DEFENSE The Cowboys hurt teams through the air, but even more so on the ground, where they have an NFL running back and running threats from the quarterback position, where part-time QB J.W. Walsh ran for seven scores this season. Purdue will have to win the line of scrimmage, which won���t be easy given the relentless tempo of the Cowboy offense, assuming coordinator changes don���t slow it down. The NFL will be watching closely as Joseph Randle looks to build on his 1,350-yard, 14-touchdown, 28-catch junior season. He���s a stud. special teams Purdue has its return game back to full strength with Raheem Mostert back to join Akeem Hunt on kickoff return. But, Oklahoma State has a three-time All-America kicker who does everything. The Cowboys are excellent in the kicking game. boilers 24 Kicker Quinn Sharp has made 80 percent of his field goals; pinned 15 of his 41 punts inside the 15; and put two-thirds of his kickoffs into the end zone. prediction cowboys This game obviously sets up well ��� at least on paper ��� for the Cowboys, a team generally considered to be above their bowl berth. That could be the rub: How interested is Oklahoma State after being disappointed by its postseason assignment? We���d expect Purdue to play fast and loose, like it has nothing to lose, but all things being equal, Oklahoma State���s daunting offense might be too great a challenge to overcome. 37 GoldanDBlack express ��� volume 23, express 15��� ������ 11