GoldandBlack.com Predictions: Purdue at Illinois

After bad transitioned to worse last weekend at Wisconsin, Purdue now heads to Illinois, where the Illini are enjoying a strong season.

Our GoldandBlack.com staff predictions …

MIKE CARMIN, CONTRIBUTOR

Overall Thought: New play-caller last week. New quarterback this week. Ryan Browne takes over quarterback duties since starter Hudson Card is sidelined by an injury. Can the struggling offense find some firepower to jumpstart the season? Browne will be throwing to the same receivers who struggle to find open spaces but may be featured more in the run game. 

*The* Key To The Game: An early touchdown and lead might be the boost the Boilermakers need.

Your Pick To Click (offense): Reggie Love III. Facing former teammates provides a spark.

Your Pick To Click (defense): Kyndrich Breedlove. Staying with the hot hand.

Spiciest Take: Would Purdue fare any better in the “Project Rudy” league? 

Predicted Score: Illinois 31, Purdue 11

TOM DIENHART, GOLDANDBLACK.COM

Overall Thought: You know how they say “things are never as bad as they seem”? Well, they are as bad as they seem.

*The* Key To The Game: How about just competing for four quarters? That would be a start.

Your Pick To Click (offense): C Gus Hartwig. The “Admiral” is one Boilermaker you know will show up.

Your Pick To Click (defense): CB Kyndrich Breedlove. Have to pick someone. Let’s go with Mr. 2 INTs.

Spiciest Take: Bret Bielema won’t take a knee late, opting to add an unnecessary TD. Why? Because he can.

Predicted Score: Illinois 45, Purdue 0. 

ALAN KARPICK, GOLDANDBLACK.COM

Overall Thought: An unprecedented bad stretch for Purdue football gets no easier as its team leader and quarterback will not play.

*The* Key To The Game: Starting fast. Rinse and repeat on this, but Purdue needs something good to happen to it in the first 15 minutes. Illinois is going places this season and owes the Boilermakers a spanking after last year’s blowout loss to the Gold and Black. I can’t imagine many scenarios where this is competitive in the fourth quarter.

Your Pick To Click (offense): Reggie Love III. He will be extra jacked up for his return to home territory. With quarterback Ryan Browne at the helm, one would think Purdue will push to run the ball.

Your Pick To Click (defense): Kydran Jenkins. He can make big plays on the defense. He may get lots of opportunities late Saturday afternoon. 

Spiciest take: Purdue will reach the red zone on its first offensive possession? I don’t have much in the spiciest take department.

Predicted Score: Illinois 34, Purdue  14

JORDAN JONES, CONTRIBUTOR

Overall Thought: Players and coaches love to claim they ignore outside noise, but there’s simply no ignoring it when it’s this loud. After four straight losses of 59, 17, 18 and 46 points, how much juice does this Purdue team have left?

*The* Key To The Game: Purdue cannot play from behind. Will the pressure get to Illinois if Purdue can create an early spark? Illinois has defeated Purdue just once since 2015.

Your Pick To Click (offense): Reggie Love III. He’ll get the chance to face his former teammates, and he’d undoubtedly love to rip off a big run or two.

Your Pick To Click (defense): Dillon Thieneman. Purdue desperately needs big plays. After he picked off six passes as a freshman, he still awaits his first of 2024. He gets it on Saturday.

Spiciest Take: The Big Ten moves to an NFL-style injury report in the next few years. It’s inevitable.

Predicted Score: Illinois 38, Purdue 13

BRIAN NEUBERT, WONK

Overall Thought: How quickly this has all fallen apart has been shocking and there will be no sympathy from the Illinois sideline, If you don’t think recruiting or staff transactions get personal, think again.

*The* Key To The Game: As shockingly fast as this team and season have fallen apart, the games have been a microcosm of the broader theme. I say every week something positive has to happen early, but it might be more like something terrible not happening.

Your Pick To Click (offense): Drew Biber. Purdue’s trying to use its tight ends creatively. Maybe they come up with something to generate plays for someone other than Max Klare, the only skill player who should command any respect. Shorter throws for Ryan Browne would probably be a good idea.

Your Pick To Click (defense): Joseph Jefferson. Someone has to make a bunch of tackles. May as well be him.

Spiciest Take: When we’ve got dudes here picking the damn center as their pick to click, that means we should probably stop doing this.

Predicted Score: Illinois 31, Purdue 6.

CHAT GTP, STAFF AI BOT

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