GBI Express

have 50,000 fans inside the 62,500-capacity facility for a game this season, and with students on fall break this weekend, that could be tough against the Wolverines. A victory against Michigan, though, could re-energize the fan base, Hope said. "I think the stadium's alive again and there's energy and the football team is playing well and I think the fans that are there are having a great time. But there's still some empty seats, said. "This weekend is huge from a fan-base standpoint. We've won eight of our last 10 ballgames in Big Ten championship game over the next two weeks. Two victories and the Boilermakers will absolutely be in the driver's seat. But two losses? Well, then Purdue has a whole other set of questions to an- swer, such as why it wasn't ready for prime time. signs from Caleb TerBush to start believing this Purdue team can be a true contender. I thought he was really good against Marshall. Now, it's the offensive line's turn to prove something. If it can help the running game produce something positive against a physical, solid defensive front and if it can give TerBush time to make plays against an inexperienced secondary, then I'm on board. • Stacy Clardie: "Last week, I said I needed to see significant " shop the FOLLETT'S PURDUE BOOKSTORES AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT makers are in with two big home games against historically upper- level conference teams. Those inside the program have been wait- ing to get the full force of Purdue fans behind it, and devising a way to beat Michigan will go a long ways to doing that. I like Purdue in this one from a sentimentality standpoint, but Michigan has enough talent to stop all this championship-run talk in its tracks. • Brian Neubert: "Purdue's done pretty much all that could • Alan Karpick: "You can't help but like the position the Boiler- " " have been asked of it to this point. But now we find out what the Boilermakers are truly made of. Things change when confer- ence play starts, but this is the best position Purdue's been in heading into the conference season since the mid-2000s. There is reason for expectations to be high. Now the Boilermakers just have to live up." 4/C /FollettsPurdueBookstores Black & White Follett's Purdue Bookstores Boiler | Purdue West | Black & Gold Mine | follettspurdue.com For Black background, there is a white border around it. GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • volume 23, express 5 • 2 FOR CANCER AWARENESS game vs. Michigan. • Kyle Charters: "Purdue can position itself well for a run at the The following are our thoughts now, on the eve of Purdue's BOILER UP! TM " Hope Ross-Ade and we're undefeated, 3-0, in Ross-Ade Stadium so this is a big weekend for us. "A win this weekend will put us in a great position as a foot- ball team and I think it will really re-energize our fan base and give a lot of our fans (a chance) to get on board and be with our football team as we proceed to not only just a great season but potentially a championship year. "j

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