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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 7 • 13 MATCHUP PREVIEW: Purdue vs. Michigan State ADVANTAGE? PURDUE PASSING GAME VS. MICHIGAN STATE PASS DEFENSE PLAYER TO WATCH ADVANTAGE? Michigan State will sell out up front to take the running game away from Purdue, putting the onus on Boilermaker receivers to get off physical man coverage at the line of scrim- mage in order to get open. Not liking their chances there. Michigan State will be more physical up front than anyone Purdue has played so far. That's a tough combination to overcome, especially if the Boilermakers can't be effective in the running game. Maybe second-game starting quarterback Austin Appleby's ability to make plays outside the system gives Purdue more of a chance in the passing game than it might ordinarily have. PURDUE RUNNING GAME VS. MICHIGAN STATE RUSH DEFENSE The Spartans allow just 72 yards per game on the ground, not missing a beat from last season's stifling, bullying defense. Purdue had great success on the ground at Illinois, but there is no comparison between Michigan State and Illinois defensively. The Spar- tans will crowd the line of scrimmage and likely be the more physical team. Room to run will almost certainly be scarce. When there's daylight, Akeem Hunt better find it and get to it as fast as physi- cally possible. MICHIGAN STATE PASSING GAME VS. PURDUE PASS DEFENSE The Spartans can dominate a game on the ground, giving them balance that makes Michigan State a particularly difficult offense to defend. QB Connor Cook is playing at a very high level right now and won't miss the open throws — if they're there — like he strangely did last season against the Boilermakers. Purdue just got gouged against the pass by Illinois, with one player alone catching 200 yards worth of passes. Fast and 6-foot-3 Spartan receiver Tony Lippett already has seven receiving touchdowns. Purdue doesn't have anyone who can match him with him one-on-one. MICHIGAN STATE RUNNING GAME VS. PURDUE RUSH DEFENSE The Boilermakers have really improved against the run this season but will badly miss injured linebacker Sean Robinson. It's particularly bad timing as Michigan State brings with it Jeremy Langford, fresh off his ninth consecutive 100-or-more-yard rushing per- formance in Big Ten play. Freshman Ja'Whaun Bentley, all things considered, has been excellent for Purdue this season. He's even more important now that he moves to middle linebacker in Robinson's absence. SPECIAL TEAMS Purdue has been the best punting team in the country so far and will need to be Satur- day. A big return or two from Hunt or Raheem Mostert on kickoffs or Frankie Williams on punts would be a welcomed sight considering how difficult yardage might be to come by for the offense. Michigan State allowed a punt return for a TD against Nebraska. Quietly, punter Thomas Meadows has been one of Purdue's most valuable players, enjoying a great season in a role that was a bit of a question prior to the season. BOILERS PREDICTION SPARTANS Purdue's coming off the high point of the Darrell Hazell Era to date, after the program's first Big Ten win since 2012. Understand, though, that Illinois is as bad a team as you'll see at this level and Michigan State is every bit a top-10 team and Playoff-spot candidate, probably the class of the conference. 27 13