First and 10: Purdue at Indiana

As we start the week, 10 items of interest as the Boilermakers travel to Indiana (7 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1) on Saturday:

• First night game in the battle for the Old Oaken Bucket. Remember when the Big Ten refused to play night games in November? TV says otherwise. How long before the league schedules games on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday? When TV says it’s time.

• Not much to salvage from the season. Is there a big difference between 1-11 and 2-10? Knocking the Hoosiers out of the College Football Playoff should offer plenty of motivation. A chance to win the Bucket is significant, but how many players – and coaches – in both programs understand the importance of the rivalry? The portal has diminished the enthusiasm about rivalries since incoming transfer players don’t have strong connections to programs.

• Saturday marks the eighth time the Boilermakers will close as a double-digit underdog. It would’ve been nine if Notre Dame hadn’t lost to Northern Illinois the week before playing Purdue and the bettors didn’t abandon the Irish. The 2013 team, which finished 1-11, was a double-digit underdog in nine games. The Boilermakers were favored once that season (Indiana State) and were single-digit home underdogs to Northern Illinois and Illinois.

• If the Hoosiers reach their average offensive output, Purdue is on pace to finish last among Big Ten teams in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense, passing defense, and yards per play allowed in conference games. Heading into the final weekend, the Boilermakers rank No. 17 in rushing defense, ahead of Wisconsin. Purdue is allowing 170 rushing yards; the Badgers are giving up 171.6.

MORE: First look: Indiana | Three thoughts: Ryan Walters, Purdue basketball and more |

• Could we see an offensive approach similar to last week at Michigan State? The Hoosiers are giving up nearly 80 rushing yards in Big Ten games, and the Boilermakers struggled to run the ball against the Spartans. Opponents have thrown more against IU’s defense since they’ve faced big deficits. The Hoosiers have yet to allow 300 passing yards, and Hudson Card is coming off a career-high 342-yard performance.

• Speaking of quarterbacks, who’s running the offense next season? Plenty to figure out, but is the next quarterback in the building or in the portal? It depends on who’s overseeing the program.

• When the Big Ten released its future schedules after adding USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington, 2025 shaped up as the toughest in program history. That was based on “brand” names the Boilermakers would face. Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State, USC and Washington. Add rivalries against Indiana and Illinois, and next season looks extremely challenging for a program trying to gain some traction. However, 2024 may go down as the toughest of all time. Oregon, Ohio State, Penn State, Notre Dame, and Indiana were all ranked in the top 5 at some point this season, and all are expected to make the College Football Playoff. Before Saturday’s finale, Purdue scored 17 points against the Ducks, the Buckeyes, the Nittany Lions, and the Fighting Irish. Everyone in the Big Ten – and college football – plays challenging schedules, but Purdue doesn’t appear ready to deal with reality.

• Here’s your weekly opponent red zone report: Wisconsin, Illinois, Oregon, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan State are a combined 30-for-30 in the red zone – with 25 touchdowns – during the last seven games. Indiana is 28-for-28 in its last six games.

• Why can’t this team start fast or at least reach the speed limit in the first quarter? Lack of preparation? Poor approach to practice? Slow starts are a direct result of what happens in the days leading up to the game, but nothing has changed.

• How realistic is it for the program to keep Devin Mockobee, Dillon Thieneman, Max Klare, and Will Heldt from jumping into the portal? The interest will be high in trying to acquire their talents.