PLAYERS TO WATCH
–QB David Blough will be playing his final home game on Saturday. Blough tends to wear his emotions on his sleeve, which the coaching staff is well aware of. “David is a special young man, and we want him to enjoy his senior day. He’s earned the right,” coach Jeff Brohm said. “Now, he understands we’ve got a game to play and a tough opponent and he’s got to play well, and he’s got to be very sharp and at the top of his game.”
–WR Rondale Moore appears to be bothered by an ankle injury that slowed him early against Minnesota. He’s among the most talented receivers in the country as a true freshman, but if he can’t run like he usually does it puts a crimp on the Purdue passing attack.
–LB Markus Bailey will carry even more of the leadership burden on the defense with Jacob Thieneman on the sidelines. He had nine tackles last week, including a sack, but the numbers overinflate his impact on the game. He’ll have to be at his best if the Boilermakers hope to stop Wisconsin from grinding out yards.
–DB Antonio Blackmon played well against Minnesota, with one interception and two pass breakups. The coaching staff likes the competition in the secondary, but games like that help keep the fifth-year senior on the field.
SERIES HISTORY: Wisconsin leads Purdue 48-29-8. The Badgers have 12 straight victories in the series.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “We played some young guys this past week. I didn’t really love the way they performed. We have got to get better come game day.” — Coach Jeff Brohm, on how his underclassmen performed against Minnesota.
