PLAYERS TO WATCH
–QB Dwayne Haskins, for the second consecutive game, threw for more than 400 yards, finishing with 412 and three touchdowns in Ohio State’s tougher-than-expected 30-14 victory over Minnesota. He’s the first Ohio State quarterback in the history of the program with back-to-back 400-yard passing days. Haskins continues to be on a pace that exceeds the numbers of recent Heisman Trophy winners with a completion percentage of 72.3, 2,331 yards (333 per game), 28 touchdown passes and four interceptions after seven games.
–WR K.J. Hill, a redshirt senior, turned in a career day in last week’s win over Minnesota with nine receptions on 10 targets for 187 yards (20.8 yards per catch) and two touchdowns. One of the touchdowns was a highlight-reel, one-handed grab on which he reached to snare the pass and bring it down without using his left arm before reaching the end zone for a 36-yard score that gave the Buckeyes a 17-14 lead before halftime. Hill is the team’s second leading receiver with 40 catches for 551 yards (13.8-yard average) and four touchdowns in seven games. “K.J. did a great job, made a couple catches that were really crazy,” Ohio State QB Dwayne Haskins said.
–LB Peter Werner had one of Ohio State’s two sacks in the win last week over Minnesota. At a position where the Buckeyes have dealt with their share of injuries, Werner stepped up to make a career-best 10 tackles, including 2.5 for loss. Only safety Jordan Fuller had more tackles than Werner with 12. But Ohio State’s defense remains a concern after giving up nearly 400 yards to Minnesota. “I’m not down, a win’s a win, it’s good to be here undefeated still,” Werner said. “Just as far as the linebacker room, I just know that we kind of preached before the game it’s like, ‘Let’s have that game,’ and walking off the field we didn’t have that game. So we always continue to preach that at the start of each game, and when you come across and it’s not there, it kind of beats you up a little bit.”
–WR Parris Campbell leads Ohio State in receiving with 43 catches for 551 yards and seven touchdowns. The senior is tied for the team lead in touchdown receptions with WR Terry McLaurin. Campbell was kept out of the end zone last week by Minnesota but caught eight passes for 56 yards. The speedy wideout could be a bigger factor this week at Purdue, which could turn the game into a high-scoring affair if its offense has success against Ohio State’s defense and forces the Buckeyes to produce points through the air.
SERIES HISTORY: Ohio State leads Purdue 39-14-2. The Boilermakers and Buckeyes have not met since 2013 when Ohio State rolled to a 56-0 victory, the largest margin in the series.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “Short yardage is not a strength. Red zone is not a strength, and running the ball is not a strength. That’s something we’ve got to get figured out.” — Ohio State coach Urban Meyer’s assessment of his team’s offense.
