W2WF: Purdue

In 2014, Atlantic Coast Conference athletic directors voted to approve a directive in football scheduling requiring members to play one non-conference game against a power conference opponent. For Boston College, that meant new possibilities and opportunities for games against new opponents. The Eagles, after all, didn't have any geographic power conference opponents, and the Holy War against Notre Dame, which counted, isn't played every year.

On Saturday, Purdue becomes the first of those "new opponents" when the Boilermakers host the No. 23 Eagles at Ross-Ade Stadium.

Purdue enters Saturday with its back to the wall after losing its first three games. Last-second losses to Eastern Michigan and Missouri proved frustrating, especially after a tight game against a very good Northwestern team in week one. Eight conference games still remain, but an 0-4 record would make bowl eligibility tough to obtain against Michigan State, Ohio State, Iowa and Wisconsin.

"For us, I always say it, it's a one-game season," Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm said. "We have to go win the name game. It's about how we can find a way to win the next game. Sometimes in losses, you can identify weaknesses a lot more, and if you concentrate on those and work hard to fix it, hopefully you get better."

It's the first-ever meeting between Purdue and BC so familiarity between the teams will be a virtual zero. The Eagles haven't played a Big Ten opponent in the regular season in six years, and 38 of their 82 games are against either Maryland or Rutgers, former conference opponents.

"We're ready to roll to travel out to Purdue," head coach Steve Addazio said. "We're going to play a Big Ten team at homecoming at their place with their backs to the wall, coming out firing. And we know we're going into a pretty hostile environment."

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Weekly Storylines

Jump out early. Jump out often.

Boston College's offense has been downright scary in its last 10 games. The Eagles are averaging just under 40 points per game with over 480 yards of total offense. They are outscoring opponents 158-69 in this season alone, including a 103-28 margin in the first half. For any criticism levied against the talent discrepancy against UMass and Holy Cross, BC dropped 28 first half points on Wake Forest last week.

In contrast, Purdue's defense surrendered 34 first and second quarter points in the first three games, 11 more points than the third and fourth combined. So, it becomes imperative to jump out early and often to press the Boilermakers.

"If you're playing from behind, it's going to be very challenging," Jeff Brohm said. "That's obviously how they want to play. They do a great job of it. They are well-coached. They are tough. They are sound. They play good fundamental football. They are hoping to control the football and not allow you to get a lead. If they can play that game, they have a very good chance to win."

BC has been very open about its desire to control time of possession. Purdue knows the Eagles are going to pound them to set up efficient plays with explosive potential, but it's one thing to know what's coming. It's entirely something different to stop it.

No Familiarity? Really, Dan?

It was noted above that Boston College and Purdue don't have program familiarity with one another because this is their first meeting in football. That's not entirely true; BC's coaching staff has plenty of experience in the Big Ten, and it could set a certain running back up for a monster day.

"Our coaches have the experience," AJ Dillon said. "Coach White coached at Wisconsin, and Coach Loeffler was at Michigan, so they know what Purdue is all about. From what they've told us, they're a good defensive team."

Brian White coached running backs for the Badgers between 1995-2006 and spent the last seven years of that tenure as offensive coordinator. In 1999, Ron Dayne won the Heisman Trophy after gaining 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns for the second time in his collegiate career. During that season, he ran for 222 yards and a 41-yard touchdown run against the Boilermakers and passed Ricky Williams to become college football's all-time leading rusher.

Dillon is a similar runner to Dayne, whose son ironically plays for the Eagles now. With BC openly talking about ball control and Purdue knowing what's on tap, the Connecticut native will likely take center stage in Indiana.

Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance

Purdue's offense is going to pressure the Boston College defense. David Blough broke the Boilermakers' single-game passing record last week and started to take a step forward as the next signal caller at a school known as a "quarterback cradle." He has weapons at receiver, and it's obvious that Brohm, himself a former quarterback, is ready to pressure the secondary.

That means BC's defense needs to draw off last week when it played a young quarterback playing with a number of receiving weapons. The Eagles took 100-plus shots from the Demon Deacons and can translate that into preparation against the Boilermakers.

"Defense is about routine," linebacker Connor Strachan said. "If you're preparing to play an ACC team or a Big Ten team or a national champion, it comes with repetition. One of the big things we've done and the senior class has done, has made each day as competitive as possible. We all watch the tape and see how much room is there for improvement."

Purdue is capable of chunking yards, but BC is capable of playing into that game as a unit. The defense worked on tempo and conditioning back into camp and beyond in an attempt to simulate fatigue and physical strain. Blough will move the ball at various points of a game, so BC will have to fall back into that experience to understand how to get timely stops.

"College football is going to have so many different things (in a game)," Strachan said. "The NFL isn't capable of running that many plays, but that's what makes college football so enjoyable for people watching it. Around this program, we call it sudden change, and we drill that. We run periods where it doesn't matter if the offense has a first down or not. We still gun and run. I think it's fun. You look at the guy next to you and ask who is going to be tougher in a game."

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They Said It

"I heard Purdue has one of the nicest turfs around. My grandfather (Thom Gatewood) played at Notre Dame and said the grass was always amazing whenever they played at Purdue." -AJ Dillon

"The last game, the quarterback probably played his best game to date...makes it a little scarier, but at the same time, stopping the run and making them throw more than they want is what we have to do." -Jeff Brohm

"My father was a teacher...he was a great role model for me growing up...he was just a really great teacher, communicator, educator. I lived in that world and understand the impact of that." -Steve Addazio

"I'm used to giving hits and getting hits. The hardest I've ever been hit is in practice." -Connor Strachan

"Awards aren't really on my radar. We have to focus as a team to win." -Anthony Brown

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Meteorology 101

Saturday is calling for temperatures in the high 60s and low 70s in West Lafayette with partly cloudy skies. It'll be a little chilly in the morning before turning into a perfect autumn day.

Too bad this game isn't being played at night. Temperatures are supposed to dip down under 50. Either way, it feels good to finally tell people to pack that sweatshirt and blanket for a football game. This is the weather that makes football so special when the foliage is creeping in and the days are getting shorter.

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Scoreboard Watching

Saturday's early afternoon slate of games is going to provide some intense watching with four games with national or conference implications. No. 8 Notre Dame heads to Wake Forest on national television opposite the BC-Purdue game, and ACC play dots the schedule with Pittsburgh-UNC and Louisville-Virginia.

Pittsburgh bumped off Georgia Tech last week, and the Yellow Jackets' road gets only tougher this week. They host No. 3 Clemson in the mid-afternoon at 3:30 p.m. right before Syracuse hosts Connecticut in a regional, Northeast rivalry.

Nationally, No. 22 Texas A&M plays at No. 1 Alabama, and a sneaky good matchup is on at 4:30 p.m. when No. 17 TCU plays at Texas. It all leads up to two powerhouse games at night when No. 7 Stanford heads to No. 20 Oregon, and No. 18 Wisconsin at Iowa.

BC's next opponent, Temple, played on Thursday night and beat Tulsa, 31-17.

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Pregame Quote & Prediction

Murdoch, I'm comin' to get you. -Rambo, "First Blood, Part II"

Purdue is as dangerous a team as any because it's substantially better than an 0-3 record indicates. The record creates a sense of urgency around a team that has the talent to compete, and it means the Boilermakers are going to bring steam heat at the Eagles on Saturday afternoon. An 0-4 record isn't a death knell, but it makes bowl eligibility incredibly difficult to achieve with conference play looming.

BC, on the other hand, is flying high and is a team capable of destroying teams if it executes properly. The Eagles piled up statistics and individual honors over the first three weeks, and their record indicates a team capable of walking out of any stadium with a victory. There's a certain swagger that comes with a national ranking because of how it's earned, but being down the end of the rankings means there's something left to prove to continue a rise.

It creates a prediction that Saturday will resemble another collision course of a game. These are teams stocked with talented players, and it could turn into another instant classic.

Boston College and Purdue kick off at 12 p.m. at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana. The game can be seen on ESPN2 and the WatchESPN app. It can be heard via the Boston College IMG Sports Network on WEEI 850 AM locally and on the TuneIn app nationally. The game is also available on satellite radio on Sirius channel 976, XM channel 382 and Internet channel 958.

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Anthony Brown

AJ Dillon

Connor Strachan

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