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ADVANTAGE? PURDUE PASSING GAME VS. OHIO STATE PASS DEFENSE MATCHUP PREVIEW: Purdue vs. Ohio State PLAYER TO WATCH If Purdue can't pass effectively in Columbus, it will have troubles scoring. It will be easier said than done, as Ohio State has a strong, ball-hawking secondary that's made 10 interceptions and a defensive front you have to figure will give the Boilermakers all they can handle, prob- ably bringing more additional pressure than the bare-minimum Wisconsin mostly called for. If Purdue can't run it effectively enough to generate some measure of balance, the Boilermaker passing game may be doomed as well. PURDUE RUNNING GAME VS. OHIO STATE RUN DEFENSE The Buckeyes' extremely talented defensive line has been inconsistent and their linebackers a weakness, so while Ohio State hasn't given up all that many yards on the ground, it's given up several big plays. Can Purdue take advantage? What reason has the last two weeks given us to think so? The Boilermaker running game has struggled mightily, at least in relevant situations. OHIO STATE PASSING GAME VS. PURDUE PASS DEFENSE Wisconsin played Purdue like a puppet with its play-action and misdirection and the Boiler- makers had better be ready for a lot of more of it. Ohio State will play off its dominant run- ning game to try to spring its tight end or its big-play receivers for huge gains. Purdue must somehow stop the run without selling out against it. Easier said than done. And it will be very difficult to get pressure on Braxton Miller, not only because of his mobility but also the nature of the Buckeye offense. OHIO STATE RUNNING GAME VS. PURDUE RUN DEFENSE Purdue gave up more than four-and-a-half football fields worth of rushing yardage last week and missed nearly two-and-a-half dozen tackles. And now here comes a Buckeye running game that's averaging 266 yards per game, and nearly six yards an attempt, with spread schemes designed to spring big plays and physical, fast runners well equipped to make them. Could there be a worse matchup for the Boilermakers right now? SPECIAL TEAMS Purdue has had far too many kicks blocked this season; the Buckeyes have blocked four, scor- ing off one of them. Ohio State has dangerous return men. Purdue doesn't have its most dan- gerous return man, as Raheem Mostert hurt his knee last week. Not that anyone was kicking to him anyway. 10 BOILERS PREDICTION We have tried and tried to find anything from the past two weekend's games to give us reason to believe Purdue can compete in a game like this, on either side of the ball, on the road no less. Believe us, we've looked. With Mostert out and Akeem Hunt having made a couple big plays against Wisconsin, freshman Danny Anthrop could be a marked man on the kickoff return team, where he's filling in for Mostert. 43 BUCKEYES GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 23, EXPRESS 7 • 11 We'd expect you to see more of senior Caleb TerBush before you see less. It'll take a heroic performance in the 'Shoe, but he'll need more help from his supporting cast than he's been getting. Left guard Peters Drey is sort of the face of an offensive line that will have to show up and battle physically, make its blocks and avoid negative plays at all costs. Jake Stoneburner. Remember that play the Badgers ran a bunch of times where the quarterback rolled out off a play fake and hit wide-open tight ends coming across the field? Yeah, Ohio State will, too. Electrifying quarterback Braxton Miller is Denard Robin- son 2.0, blessed with similar running ability to the Michi- gan star, only in a 220-pound body. Yikes. ADVANTAGE?