First and 10: Syracuse at Purdue

As we start the week, 10 items of interest to track as Purdue hosts Syracuse on Saturday night before a sold-out crowd at Ross-Ade Stadium:

The game opened as a pick’em, according to Circa Sports, but shifted to Syracuse moving to a 2.5-point favorite as of Monday morning.

• With three upcoming home games, can last week’s victory at Virginia Tech carry Purdue through September? The time is now for coach Ryan Walters’ team to string wins together before jumping into the deep end of the schedule in October and early November.

• Did we see the offense start to establish an identity against the Hokies? Good mix of the run and pass with quarterback Hudson Card making good decisions on the zone read, giving Devin Mockobee a chance to run in space. Card’s legs are a weapon but relying on the Texas transfer to carry the run game probably isn’t wise. Need to keep him healthy.

• Speaking of Card, he had throws he wants back. He missed TJ Sheffield across the middle and nearly connected with the speedy Deion Burks for a big-play touchdown. The more Card plays, look for him to connect for game-changing moments.

• From a statistical standpoint, the Virginia Tech win was the opposite of what happened against Fresno State. The Bulldogs won third down – on both sides of the ball – time of possession and ran more plays. Against the Hokies, the Boilermakers won third down – on both sides of the ball – time of possession and ran more plays. Numbers don’t always tell the story, but in Purdue’s first two games, they’re a clear indication of what happened.

• No turnovers in two games. Purdue is one of two Big Ten teams – and nine nationally – without a turnover. Can the Boilermakers protect the ball like this the rest of the season? Unlikely but it’s a good start.

• The play of Nic Scourton and Kydran Jenkins has been key and will continue to lead the defense. Opposing teams will need to game plan to keep the pair from living in the backfield, which should create opportunities for other defenders. Scourton and Jenkins showcased their play-making skills against the Hokies, shutting off the running game and causing other issues. They’ve combined for 6.5 tackles for loss.

• Good to see Cam Allen come up with an interception in his home state before his family and friends, even though they had to endure a 5 ½ hour delay. He’s usually around the ball and continues to force turnovers.

• The offensive line took a step forward from the season opener. The running game found a different gear and Card had time to throw for the most part. Short-yardage situations still need work but the more experience this group gets, the better it should play, The return of Josh Kaltenberger helped and when Gus Hartwig comes back, the line has a chance to see more progress.

• Last year’s loss at Syracuse was a disaster. The Boilermakers completely became unraveled, both on the field and the sidelines, giving away a game they had won when the Orange scored with seven seconds on the clock. The teams combined for 42 points in the fourth quarter as Syracuse won 32-29. At the time, the loss had the makings of pushing the season straight into the dumpster but credit everyone for keeping things moving forward, eventually leading to a Big Ten West championship. The players who remain certainly remember what transpired in the JMA Wireless Dome but with a new coaching staff, don’t look for last year’s game to be a major talking point this week.

• Syracuse coach Dino Babers has plenty of affection for Purdue’s program. He was an assistant more than 30 years ago, and one of his daughters was born in West Lafayette on the morning of the Old Oaken Bucket game. Babers gave Tasha, his second of four daughters, a nickname – Buckethead. Babers is also 2-0 against the Boilermakers, winning as the head coach of Bowling Green in 2015 and last season with the Orange.