GoldandBlack.com Predictions: Indiana State at Purdue

Year 2 under Ryan Walters begins for Purdue Saturday in Ross-Ade Stadium, as Indiana State visits for the 2024 opener.

Our GoldandBlack.com staff predictions …

MIKE CARMIN, CONTRIBUTOR

Overall Thought: It’s Year 2 of the Ryan Walters era and more new faces decorate the roster because of the transfer portal. Can the newcomers help the Boilermakers reach the six-win mark and navigate a difficult schedule? Keeping the top-line players healthy is always a key at Purdue and this year is no different.

*The* Key To The Game: Show up focused and take care of business.

Your Pick To Click (offense): Jaron Tibbs. The receiver played in eight games last season and collected enough experience to take the next step as a sophomore. Won’t be the No. 1 focus of ISU’s defense, giving the Cathedral graduate an opportunity to make plays.

Your Pick To Click (defense): Will Heldt. The defense must find more pressure and the sophomore needs to bring the heat off the edge.

Spiciest Take: Dillon Thieneman returns a punt for a touchdown.

Predicted Score: Purdue 56, Indiana State 0

TOM DIENHART, GOLDANDBLACK.COM

Overall Thought: Purdue can’t just beat Indiana State … it has to dominate Indiana State. A statement needs to be made vs. a clearly lesser foe. The Boilermakers need all the feel-good vibe they can muster entering a bye week and with Notre Dame on deck. That’s when the season really begins.

*The* Key To The Game: Be physical. Purdue is bigger, stronger and better. It needs to impose its will on Indiana State. Treat the Sycamores like an FCS school playing a Big Ten school. 

Your Pick To Click (offense): WR Jahmal Edrine. It has been a LONG wait for the FAU transfer. Watch No. 7 catch 10 passes for 120 yards with 1 or 2 TDs … and a fun TD dance, too.

Your Pick To Click (defense): RE Will Heldt. This is a perfect time to introduce himself as Purdue’s next great pass rusher. Sic ‘em!

.Spiciest Take: How out of hand will this game be? Purdue will use three quarterbacks!

Predicted Score: Purdue 51, Indiana State 13

ALAN KARPICK, GOLDANDBLACK.COM

Overall Thought: Enough talk; let’s get this season going.

The Key To The Game: Purdue showing up and executing.

Your Pick To Click (offense): Hudson Card…I expect him to get the season off to a good start.

Your Pick To Click (defense): Somebody’s name I don’t know by heart yet.

Spiciest Take: Is that possible in a game against and FCS opponent?

Predicted Score: Purdue 43, Indiana State 6

JORDAN JONES, CONTRIBUTOR

Overall Thought: The dawn of a new season. The Boilermakers hope to see a marked improvement from year one to year two under Ryan Walters. It won’t come easy against a daunting schedule, but it should get off to a nice start against a struggling Indiana State program. Purdue should get to ease into competition with lots of faces seeing the field. Expect a simplified, basic game plan as Purdue rolls through an inferior team.

*The* Key To The Game: No injuries. Purdue will miss at least two starters on Saturday with CJ Smith (hamstring) and Nyland Green (foot) healing from training camp injuries. With a loaded schedule ensuing, Purdue can ill-afford to miss key players when the Fighting Irish come to town in two weeks. Get ahead, liberally rotate and move onto a very early bye week.

Your Pick To Click (offense): Jahmal Edrine. He missed all of 2023 with a knee injury, but he generated lots of training camp buzz before going down. Now, he’s healthy and primed to take the reigns as Purdue’s top wideout. He announces his presence with a 100-yard afternoon.

Your Pick To Click (defense): Tarrion Grant. It’s not every day a true freshman starts the season opener, especially at a position like cornerback. But, the blue-chip recruit will get the nod in Green’s absence. He’ll fire up the Ross-Ade faithful with an interception to make his name known.

Spiciest Take: Three Purdue quarterbacks throw a touchdown pass as Purdue cruises to a comfortable victory.

Predicted Score: Purdue 42, Indiana State 6

BRIAN NEUBERT, INVENTOR OF THE QUESTION MARK

Overall Thought: I told everyone to be concise with their predictions and Karpick gives me like 20 words. That’s actually about right for this non-descript, but really important game developmentally.

*The* Key To The Game: WiFi signal. You’re going to be clicking on the roster a lot as will be the case every opener in this transfer portal/post-game program world.

Your Pick To Click (offense): The backups. Let’s see what Reggie Love and the second and third quarterbacks can do once Hudson Card and the first unit build some cushion, assuming they can.

Your Pick To Click (defense): Yanni Karlaftis. Fresh legs matter in second halves!

Spiciest Take: On Portal Try-Out Weekend around the Big Ten, Indiana State makes a few big plays.

Predicted Score: Purdue 44, Indiana State 20