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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 12 • 1 end of the year compared to if we lose the game, things are going to look a lot different.' So this game is a huge deal." The offense showed some life early when Austin Appleby moved in as starting quarterback, as he led Purdue to its first Big Ten victory under Darrell Hazell in his first start. But that was nearly two months ago, and the Boilermakers have struggled to gen- erate yards and points in the last three weeks. Some of that is because of the significant loss of leading receiver Danny Anthrop; some is because of the uptick in opposing defenses; some maybe because those defenses have film on Appleby. Regardless, Purdue needs to get its juice BY STACY CLARDIE SClardie@GoldandBlack.com N o doubt, coaches and players say, Purdue is bet- ter in 2014 than it was in 2013. That'd be an easy deduction simply based on its three victories this season to one last season. It'd be an easy inference based on the margin of games, as the Boilermakers have lost games by an av- erage of 16 points this season compared to 23 points last season. But will it be easy to say if the Boilermakers stay stuck on three victories and finish with a loss to Indi- ana in the Bucket game on Saturday? Will winning or losing the regular-season finale have a considerable effect on how the season is viewed? "Definitely, for sure," defensive tackle Jake Replo- gle said. "Regardless of what happens, the IU game is one of the biggest games of the season. Getting the Bucket would be huge, especially for the offseason. "Looking back at this season, Coach (Rubin) Cart- er talked about it all the time this week, 'If we win this game, things are going to look a lot different at the Indiana Purdue hasn't lost back-to-back games to Indiana since 1993-94. It looks to avoid that Saturday in Bloomington in a game that's crucial to the program's progress. 6 Seasons Purdue has been an under- dog to IU in the Bucket game, includ- ing this year, dating back to 1990. Purdue is winless as a 'dog during that period. 3-8 Purdue's and Indiana's records entering the game, something that has only happened once previously, when in 2008, the Boilermakers won 62-10. 1994 The most recent season the Hoosiers posted back-to-back victories in the series, something they have done only six times since World War II. 7 Akeem Hunt's ranking in Purdue his- tory with an average of 5.30 yards per carry. THE NUMBERS VOLUME 25, EX 12 • NOV. 26, 2014 Inside | Indiana preview 9-13 Football notes 11–13 | Recruiting 29-30 Basketball updates 31-35 Victory Necessary For Validation?