First and 10: Purdue-Notre Dame

As we start the week, 10 items of interest as Purdue hosts No. 19 Notre Dame on Saturday (3:30 p.m., CBS) at Ross-Ade Stadium:

• Coach Ryan Walters’ team is in its best position to challenge a highly ranked and marquee opponent in his short tenure. An easy victory over Indiana State, followed by an open week with their complete attention focused on the Irish. It doesn’t guarantee anything, but the Boilermakers have their opportunity.

• Will Purdue be at full strength? Receivers CJ Smith and Kam Brown, defensive back Nyland Green, defensive lineman Joe Anderson and offensive lineman Corey Stewart were expected to contribute this season but missed the opener. Their status will be something to monitor this week.

• It’s unrealistic to think Hudson Card will complete 24 of 25 passes again. If Card does, the Boilermakers are on their way to a significant victory. But how far does the completion percentage drop? The competition will play a role as Purdue’s receivers must deal with tighter coverage on their routes and create separation. One goal in the offseason was to bring Card’s completion percentage up, maybe to the 70% range. That’s certainly attainable based on the targets Card has available, mainly the tight ends who could cause a lot of havoc on Saturday and the rest of the season.

FIRST LOOK: Notre Dame | Marcus Freeman postgame press conference: YouTube

• Perceptions can change in one week. The Irish were riding high coming off the victory at Texas A&M, the home opener against Northern Illinois was just a formality and a spot in the College Football Playoff was nearly guaranteed based on the schedule. Well, Notre Dame didn’t follow the script, or maybe more accurately, the Huskies changed the narrative. The loss has reminded Irish followers of the 2022 home setback to Marshall, also in the second game of the season in coach Marcus Freeman’s first year. Two years ago, Notre Dame won eight of the next nine games following the stunner and will need a similar run to remain in the CFP hunt.

• One area NIU had success against the Irish was the run game, totaling 190 yards. The Huskies featured a grind-it-out approach, which paid off. Can the Boilermakers do the same? Devin Mockobee, Reggie Love and an experienced offensive line can set the tone. It’s difficult to take much out of the Indiana State victory, but Purdue’s rushing attack must find a way to impose its will.

• Over the summer, the future line on Saturday’s game was Notre Dame favored by 19 points. Last week, the number dipped to 16. However, after the Irish lost to NIU, the line dropped to under two touchdowns. We’ll see how much Notre Dame backers believe in this team by the end of the week and where the line lands before kickoff.

THREE THOUGHTS: Purdue-ND, Marcus Freeman and more

• Can the Boilermakers’ defensive front take advantage of Notre Dame’s young, inexperienced offensive line? Granted, the group has two games of data to lean on, but the unit was out of sync in the NIU loss and took a step back from the season-opening win over Texas A&M. Winning this line-of-scrimmage battle and making quarterback Riley Leonard uncomfortable in the pocket could be the difference.

• That could lead to a Dillon Thieneman interception. The left-handed Leonard was picked off twice by NIU.

• Turnover margin is always a telling statistic. The Boilermakers will need a couple to spring the upset. In Walters’ first year, Purdue was +5 in its four victories but -5 in the eight losses.

• Purdue and Notre Dame renewed the series in 2017, but things have changed significantly over the past seven years. Should the Boilermakers have the Irish on the schedule after the Big Ten expanded to 18? It was a good idea then, but knowing how the college football landscape would look in 2024 and beyond was hard. Purdue doesn’t need a non-conference schedule full of layups but must be realistic about managing life in the new Big Ten and how it meshes with trying to reach a bowl game. In 2025, the Boilermakers face Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan, USC and Washington before conference rivalry games against Illinois and Indiana factor into the equation. Purdue is adjusting its future non-conference schedules but won’t be able to fully benefit until after the Notre Dame series expires in 2028.