Purdue-Indiana
Time: 11 AM CST
Spread: IND -3
Total: 58

Betting odds c/o Bovada

The Purdue Boilermakers have dropped its past five contests, but in fairness, three of those have come against tough, AP ranked opponents (Michigan State, Nebraska and Wisconsin). This week, the Boilermakers will get a much easier opponent in Indiana, but college football odds still list the hosting Hoosiers as 3-point favorites this week.

Purdue has really just been awful on both ends of the football this season. Averaging just 24.5 points per game, the Boilermakers get very little via the rush or pass, ranking near the bottom of both. Adding to this, Purdue surrenders 32.5 points per game and hasn’t won since Oct. 4 against Illinois. Purdue’s QB attack of Austin Appleby and Danny Etling is novel, but not that effective.

Both have thrown for less than 55 percent completion and have 13 interceptions between them. Appleby is something of a rusher with 168 yards on the season and five TDs, but he only gets 3.1 yards per attempt.

RB Akeem Hunt has been the most successful Boilermaker. He’s rushed for 778 yards and five TDs on the season, with a steady 5.1 yards per carry. Raheem Mostert has been solid as the No. 2 back as well, with 5.9 yards per carry and 505 yards on the season, but he’s also carried the ball roughly half as much as Hunt.

Indiana has dropped its past six contests and fallen to a very impressive 0-7 on the season in Big Ten play. According to college football oddsmakers, the Hoosiers have a real chance at getting its first conference win this week, in its final game of the season.

The Hoosiers haven’t won since Oct. 4 when it defeated the powerhouse that is North Texas, and the only real highlight of the season was a shocking defeat over a true opponent in then-No. 18 Mizzou.

Indiana gets almost nothing from its pass offense, and though the Hoosiers average 265.8 yards per game via the rush, the offense is still poor by any simpleton’s standards. Indiana averages 25.3 points per game this season while giving up a putrid 34.4.

Last week, Indiana held strong against Ohio State but fell apart late in the game, pretty predictably. If that strong performance (prior to the meltdown) can transfer into this week, however, this could be a big victory for Indiana, if only in the sense it prevents it from being shutout in conference play this year. A big part of Indiana’s demise could be blamed on Nate Sudfeld’s injury, as he was having a pretty solid season prior to his season-ending shoulder injury.