GoldandBlack.com Predictions: Purdue vs. Northwestern

After another bye week, Purdue gets another crack at snapping its season-ruining losing streak, now standing at six games, as Northwestern visits Ross-Ade Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Our GoldandBlack.com staff predictions …

MIKE CARMIN, CONTRIBUTOR

Overall Thought: Can this off week produce better results than the first one when Notre Dame rolled the Boilermakers? 

*The* Key To The Game: Whichever Purdue quarterback can jumpstart the offense against a good Northwestern defense.

Your Pick To Click (offense): C.J. Smith. A new face at the receiver position.

Your Pick To Click (defense): Kydran Jenkins. Must lead the way in slowing down the Wildcats’ rushing attack.

Spiciest Take: Three players will attempt a pass for Purdue.

Predicted Score: Purdue 22, Northwestern 18.

TOM DIENHART, GOLDANDBLACK.COM

Overall Thought: This looks like Purdue’s last best chance to drink from the cup of victory.

*The* Key To The Game: What will the plan to play two QBs look like? It figures to be the key to the game.

Your Pick To Click (offense): WR CJ Smith. Why not? The UGA transfer will make at least one big play.

Your Pick To Click (defense): RE Will Heldt. He will be a nuisance as NU focuses on Kydran Jenkins.

Spiciest Take: Hudson Card will throw a TD pass to Ryan Browne.

Predicted Score: Northwestern 28, Purdue 24. 

ALAN KARPICK, GOLDANDBLACK.COM

Overall Thought: This may be Purdue’s last chance for victory in 2024, certainly is its best chance.

*The* Key To The Game: Fans may not be able to “stay in the moment” with where the program currently stands, but coach Ryan Walters’ team indeed must if it hopes to win on Saturday. 

Your Pick To Click (offense): Devin Mockobee. Purdue needs “lunch pail” players and No. 45 certainly qualifies. Northwestern’s defense is stingy, but Mockobee finds a way to surpass the century mark on the ground.

Your Pick To Click (defense): Dillion Theineman. He’s overdue to have a performance akin to what we saw in 2023.

Spiciest take: Purdue will be declared the game’s winner by scoring one more point than its opponent. I can’t think of anything spicier as this season rolls on.

Predicted Score: Purdue 22, Northwestern 21

JORDAN JONES, CONTRIBUTOR

Overall Thought: A critical month begins with this one. The schedule is daunting, but this one isn’t. It’s Purdue’s best shot at a second victory, and it needs this game badly.

*The* Key To The Game: Purdue had two weeks to craft a defensive game plan against a limited Northwestern offense. This doesn’t need to be a shootout.

Your Pick To Click (offense): Max Klare. Whether Hudson Card or Ryan Browne takes the snaps, Purdue will want to get the ball in Klare’s hands early and often.

Your Pick To Click (defense): Dillon Thieneman. Northwestern’s pass game is shaky, and Thieneman still awaits his first pick of 2024. The time is now.

Spiciest Take: For the first time since the Indiana State game, Purdue scores in the first quarter.Predicted Score: Northwestern 27, Purdue 21.

BRIAN NEUBERT, TOTALLY A SERIOUS PERSON

Overall Thought: This is a beatable opponent, but what has Purdue done to deserve benefit of the doubt, and broadly I’d be pretty skeptical about where the Boilermakers are right now after losing six straight. Plus, I just don’t see how an offense that has struggled for continuity all season and has no experienced coordinator can make two quarterbacks work. That’s the precise opposite of continuity.

*The* Key To The Game: Tackling. Purdue’s brutal offense this season has kind of overshadowed this really troubled, fundamentally unsound defense.

Your Pick To Click (offense): Hudson Card. In my opinion, he’s due for a ‘What should have been’ sort of game before his Purdue career concludes.

Your Pick To Click (defense): Will Heldt. Sure, why not?

Spiciest Take: For all the (albeit media-driven) talk about this C.J. Smith fellow, he better be Calvin Johnson.

Predicted Score: Northwestern 26, Purdue 20.

CHAT GTP, STAFF AI BOT

Just trying to make sure we are more interesting …