Penn State Football: Keys to the Game (Game #9 – Purdue Boilermakers)

No Flat Tires, Please!

Oct 27, 2012; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Bill O

The Boilermakers season is on the line, as well.  Purdue comes into Saturday’s game with a 3-5 record and must win 3 of their last 4 games to qualify for a bowl game.  Head coach Danny Hope will also be playing for his job based on the comments from Purdue AD Morgan Burke.  It seems like its a bowl game or bust for Purdue and coach Hope.  The Boilermakers are cornered and facing internal adversity, look for them to come out swinging on Saturday.  We will see how much they respect and like coach Hope very early in the game.  If Purdue gets down early and shows little fight, that should tell you all you need to know about what the Boilermaker players think of coach Hope.  Conversely, the Purdue players would love to go to a bowl game and they know that a win on Saturday could be just what they need to propel them forward through the remaining regular season games.  Look for Purdue to come out with lots of fire and bravado at the start of the game.

On the flip side, Penn State has to put the sting of that emotional loss to Ohio State behind them.  There is nothing they can do about the game, so now they have to press on and try to take out a hungry Purdue squad.  Head coach Bill O’Brien has seemingly always had the pulse of his team this year.  He can fire them up when needed.  He can coddle them and build in fun time when needed.  There’s no doubt in my mind that he will have his team ready to play come Saturday afternoon.  Each time Penn State has faced adversity on the gridiron they have responded the way champions do; they get up and keep punching.  The senior leaders on this team, Mauti, Zordich, McGloin, Hodges, etc…have been very emphatic about keeping the team on an even keel, never getting too high or too low.  Saturday afternoon in West Lafayette will be yet another challenge in an already very trying year.

Look for Penn State’s offense to take a few series, perhaps even the first quarter to really get a feel for the game and what is working for them.  If you want to call that being flat, then so be it.  But, like the Purdue engine, it will build up steam and momentum and then…look out!  I will be shocked if Penn State does not try to control this game from the ground sprinkling in McGloin passes on occasion to keep the defense honest.  And, like many Paterno-coached teams, look for the defense to play its usual stellar game until the offense can get in rhythm.

In the end, Penn State will escape West Lafayette with a hard-fought victory and move one step closer to a possible 9-win campaign.

Prediction:

Penn State – 21

Purdue – 17

–

Follow Corey Hunter on Twitter!