mean, he knows the players know what's at
stake. Hazell doesn't think players feel extra
pressure heading into the game but said hav-
ing their goals still within reach "really drives our
guys."
So regardless whether becoming bowl eligi-
bility was a stated team goal before the season
— it wasn't, Hazell said — the players still are
working toward achieving what they thought
they could accomplish before the season.
"It definitely matters," senior captain Ryan
Russell said of having bowl possibility lingering.
"As the season goes on, you have certain goals,
some you can still accomplish, some you can't.
Going to a bowl is still out there for us if we can
do it. It definitely starts this game.
"We can't be thinking of a three-game
stretch. We have a big challenge ahead of us.
They're definitely on a roll now, especially with
their running game being as explosive as it is
and their defense sends a lot of blitzes, a lot
of pressure and they're doing a lot of different
things to confuse offenses. So it's definitely im
-
portant that we key in on this one, single victory
this week."
j
GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 10 • 2
Coming this fall to a computer
or mobile device near you!
Special guest Brian Cardinal
Gold and Black LIVE
featuring the staff of GoldandBlack.com
Interactive live video-stream sports talk show — ask questions,
chat with other fans! Show will stream live on WLFI.com on selected Fridays during football
and basketball season. For complete schedule, visit the college page on WLFI.com.
2 P.M. FRIDAY
Trent Johnson, Agent
Are The
Boilermakers Due?
Since 1970, the year the Big Ten adjusted its football
schedule so teams played each other on more of
a home-and-home basis, here is the list of longest
droughts between victories that the Boilermakers have
endured against league foes in Ross-Ade Stadium.
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
Wisconsin 16+ (1997-?) (0-5 record)
Iowa 16 (1982-98) (0-6)
Ohio State 16 (1984-2000) (0-5)
Michigan 12 (1984-1996) (0-4)
Illinois 11 (1987-98) (0-3)
