Two predict a Purdue win and two predict a MSU win. All predict a close game with 4 points or less of a margin. Obviously the outlier would be a blowout or couple TD win either way in that case.
Considering MSU is the 3rd ranked team in the playoff rankings, I don't believe I've seen anyone pick MSU to win by 2 TDs or more. So evidently, that would be the surprise result that all the prognosticators don't foresee happening for this game.
Have to see what Jim Comparoni's Pre-Snap Read says....... @jim comparoni ?
purdue.rivals.com
- - • GoldandBlack
GoldandBlack.com staff
Another week, another golden opportunity for Purdue, as it hosts unbeaten and fifth-ranked Michigan State Saturday in Ross-Ade Stadium, hoping to pull another marquee win.
Our GoldandBlack.com staff predictions.
Last month, Purdue shocked the world by stuffing No. 2-ranked Iowa in a box, 24-7.
Now, here comes No. 5 Michigan State and its shiny 8-0 record. A win by the Boilermakers not only would make national headlines—again—but it also would make Purdue bowl eligible for the first time since 2018 and put it on course for a possible 8-4 finish and sweet bowl destination. Phoenix? Vegas? NYC?
But Ross-Ade Stadium hasn’t been the friendliest of confines for the Boilermakers, who have lost their last two home games and are 2-2 overall in 2021.
*The key* to the game: Contain Kenneth Walker. Purdue won’t shut down the phenom Spartan running back. But, it can’t let the Wake Forest transfer run wild. With Walker under control, Purdue can make MSU throw to win. And, that may play right into the ballhawking defense’s hands.
Pick to Click (Offense): WR David Bell. Is he REALLY gonna go three games in a row without 100-yards receiving? I don’t think so.
Pick to Click (Defense): LB Jalen Graham. Why not? The rangy Graham won Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors after making two picks last week—one a pick-six. Graham is quickly becoming a star in this remade Boilermaker defense.
Your Hottest Take, A Salacious Opinion Conveyed Performatively For Attention: The Boilermakers’ offense will rush for 150 yards, as Zander Horvath finds his groove in his second game back from injury.
Prediction: Purdue 30, Michigan State 29
*The* Key To The Game: If Purdue’s offense can maintain possession and can keep MSU off the field, and it can limit turnovers while picking apart MSU’s suspect pass defense, it can win. Sounds easy, doesn’t it?
Your Pick To Click (offense): David Bell. I have trouble imagining a scenario where Bell gets held under 100 yards receiving for a third straight week.
Your Pick To Click (defense): George Karlaftis…Purdue will have to contain KWIII, and Karlaftis will have a role in that. But look for him to make Spartan quarterback Payton Thorne nervous, especially if the Boilermakers can force Sparty into obvious passing situations.
Your Hottest Take, A Salacious Opinion Conveyed Performatively For Attention: As one that always hedges his bets, I think there is a possibility that Purdue wins this game by double-digits. But my pick doesn’t reflect that, I know.
Predicted Score: Purdue 24 , Michigan State 21
That was a long time ago, but the situation sets up similarly here, albeit reversed.
Michigan State's having that sort of pixie-dust season and Kenneth Walker is fighting for that bronze statue.
Purdue has a chance to screw it all up for them, but also a chance to position Itself to credibly think bigger than just making a bowl game.
*The* Key To The Game: Big plays. Purdue got it done at Nebraska without them, but I don't think that's sustainable. People are playing the Boilermakers to take away the vertical passing game, but maybe there are workarounds to generate some chunk yardage and sucker-punch touchdowns.
Your Pick To Click (offense): Milton Wright. David Bell's always the easy choice here, but I think Iowa basically put out a Nextdoor blast to all its Big Ten neighbors to make sure they never repeat the Hawkeyes' game-planning mistakes against Purdue.
Your Pick To Click (defense): Branson Deen. No particular reason. I just think he's good and overlooked.
Your Hottest Take, A Salacious Opinion Conveyed Performatively For Attention: If Michigan State gets back to East Lansing with a win, the LSU private jet may again be waiting.
Predicted Score: Michigan State 27, Purdue 23
On the other hand, I do tend to give teams credit for winning close games, especially when they repeatedly do so. And that's been Michigan State this season; the Spartans find ways, including last week vs. Michigan and in that IU game, when they didn't play particularly well but still mustered a five-point victory.
*The* Key To The Game: Uh, it's obvious. Purdue has a proven formula for victory now, as it's seized momentum in the second half in its last two victories, forced the game into the quarterbacks' hands, then watched him implode. It wasn't all that far away doing so against Wisconsin as well, but the offense's inability to hold on to the football undid the plan.
So, Purdue has to find a way to at least slow down Heisman Trophy candidate Kenneth Walker III. It's not going to stop him, but if the Boilermakers can make him work and not allow a gashing gigantic play, then they can force Payton Thorne to make some plays. He's capable, but Purdue will try to use the same formula.
Your Pick To Click (offense): Aidan O'Connell. For Purdue to get the victory, the quarterback has to play a clean game, like he's been able to do on the road but not at home, for whatever reason. Maybe his family should boo him mercilessly. Whatever works, right?
If O'Connell can play another efficient game, then Purdue will have a chance, especially if he can take advantage of what's been only a so-so, if even that, defensive secondary for Michigan State.
Your Pick To Click (defense): Let's go with Jaylan Alexander, because Purdue's linebackers must have a good day inside the box if the Boilermakers are to have any chance to slow down Michigan State's offense. The Spartans love play-action, which works because of Walker, but Alexander and the LBs have to find a way not to bite.
Your Hottest Take, A Salacious Opinion Conveyed Performatively For Attention Unlike the Wisconsin and Minnesota games, I expect the Boilermakers to play well and throw some punches at the MSU defense. Maybe hit on a couple big plays, be there at the finish. But the Spartans are finding ways to win, so I think they do it again ...
Predicted Score: Michigan State 27, Purdue 24
Considering MSU is the 3rd ranked team in the playoff rankings, I don't believe I've seen anyone pick MSU to win by 2 TDs or more. So evidently, that would be the surprise result that all the prognosticators don't foresee happening for this game.
Have to see what Jim Comparoni's Pre-Snap Read says....... @jim comparoni ?
GoldandBlack - GoldandBlack.com Predictions: Purdue-Michigan State
Our GoldandBlack.com staff predictions for Purdue vs. No. 5 Michigan State.
purdue.rivals.com
GoldandBlack.com Predictions: Purdue-Michigan State
- - • GoldandBlack
GoldandBlack.com staff
Another week, another golden opportunity for Purdue, as it hosts unbeaten and fifth-ranked Michigan State Saturday in Ross-Ade Stadium, hoping to pull another marquee win.
Our GoldandBlack.com staff predictions.
TOM DIENHART, GOLDANDBLACK.COM
Overall thought: Another top-five team, another chance for an upset.Last month, Purdue shocked the world by stuffing No. 2-ranked Iowa in a box, 24-7.
Now, here comes No. 5 Michigan State and its shiny 8-0 record. A win by the Boilermakers not only would make national headlines—again—but it also would make Purdue bowl eligible for the first time since 2018 and put it on course for a possible 8-4 finish and sweet bowl destination. Phoenix? Vegas? NYC?
But Ross-Ade Stadium hasn’t been the friendliest of confines for the Boilermakers, who have lost their last two home games and are 2-2 overall in 2021.
*The key* to the game: Contain Kenneth Walker. Purdue won’t shut down the phenom Spartan running back. But, it can’t let the Wake Forest transfer run wild. With Walker under control, Purdue can make MSU throw to win. And, that may play right into the ballhawking defense’s hands.
Pick to Click (Offense): WR David Bell. Is he REALLY gonna go three games in a row without 100-yards receiving? I don’t think so.
Pick to Click (Defense): LB Jalen Graham. Why not? The rangy Graham won Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors after making two picks last week—one a pick-six. Graham is quickly becoming a star in this remade Boilermaker defense.
Your Hottest Take, A Salacious Opinion Conveyed Performatively For Attention: The Boilermakers’ offense will rush for 150 yards, as Zander Horvath finds his groove in his second game back from injury.
Prediction: Purdue 30, Michigan State 29
ALAN KARPICK, GOLDANDBLACK.COM
Overall Thought: Purdue needs to bring its road show to Ross-Ade with an emphasis on what has worked at Iowa and Nebraska. Purdue hasn’t beaten two top-five teams in the same season dating back to 1960, and this as much a silver-platter opportunity it will likely to ever get. The Boilermakers best get while the getting is good.*The* Key To The Game: If Purdue’s offense can maintain possession and can keep MSU off the field, and it can limit turnovers while picking apart MSU’s suspect pass defense, it can win. Sounds easy, doesn’t it?
Your Pick To Click (offense): David Bell. I have trouble imagining a scenario where Bell gets held under 100 yards receiving for a third straight week.
Your Pick To Click (defense): George Karlaftis…Purdue will have to contain KWIII, and Karlaftis will have a role in that. But look for him to make Spartan quarterback Payton Thorne nervous, especially if the Boilermakers can force Sparty into obvious passing situations.
Your Hottest Take, A Salacious Opinion Conveyed Performatively For Attention: As one that always hedges his bets, I think there is a possibility that Purdue wins this game by double-digits. But my pick doesn’t reflect that, I know.
Predicted Score: Purdue 24 , Michigan State 21
BRIAN NEUBERT, GOLDANDBLACK.COM
Overall Thought: I remember 2000 when Purdue was having one of those storybook sorts of seasons and brought Its Heisman contender, Drew Brees, to Michigan State and got blitzed. So ended Brees' Heisman hopes and nearly deep-sixed the Boilermakers' Rose Bowl hopes.That was a long time ago, but the situation sets up similarly here, albeit reversed.
Michigan State's having that sort of pixie-dust season and Kenneth Walker is fighting for that bronze statue.
Purdue has a chance to screw it all up for them, but also a chance to position Itself to credibly think bigger than just making a bowl game.
*The* Key To The Game: Big plays. Purdue got it done at Nebraska without them, but I don't think that's sustainable. People are playing the Boilermakers to take away the vertical passing game, but maybe there are workarounds to generate some chunk yardage and sucker-punch touchdowns.
Your Pick To Click (offense): Milton Wright. David Bell's always the easy choice here, but I think Iowa basically put out a Nextdoor blast to all its Big Ten neighbors to make sure they never repeat the Hawkeyes' game-planning mistakes against Purdue.
Your Pick To Click (defense): Branson Deen. No particular reason. I just think he's good and overlooked.
Your Hottest Take, A Salacious Opinion Conveyed Performatively For Attention: If Michigan State gets back to East Lansing with a win, the LSU private jet may again be waiting.
Predicted Score: Michigan State 27, Purdue 23
KYLE CHARTERS, LOCAL MAN ABOUT TOWN
Overall Thought: Before the Nebraska game, I thought — probably said it out loud somewhere — that the Boilermakers had a better chance vs. Michigan State at home than they did at Nebraska. The thinking being that the Spartans kept beating teams close, even on the road at a pretty terrible Indiana team, and they were due for a loss. That reasoning might still hold now.On the other hand, I do tend to give teams credit for winning close games, especially when they repeatedly do so. And that's been Michigan State this season; the Spartans find ways, including last week vs. Michigan and in that IU game, when they didn't play particularly well but still mustered a five-point victory.
*The* Key To The Game: Uh, it's obvious. Purdue has a proven formula for victory now, as it's seized momentum in the second half in its last two victories, forced the game into the quarterbacks' hands, then watched him implode. It wasn't all that far away doing so against Wisconsin as well, but the offense's inability to hold on to the football undid the plan.
So, Purdue has to find a way to at least slow down Heisman Trophy candidate Kenneth Walker III. It's not going to stop him, but if the Boilermakers can make him work and not allow a gashing gigantic play, then they can force Payton Thorne to make some plays. He's capable, but Purdue will try to use the same formula.
Your Pick To Click (offense): Aidan O'Connell. For Purdue to get the victory, the quarterback has to play a clean game, like he's been able to do on the road but not at home, for whatever reason. Maybe his family should boo him mercilessly. Whatever works, right?
If O'Connell can play another efficient game, then Purdue will have a chance, especially if he can take advantage of what's been only a so-so, if even that, defensive secondary for Michigan State.
Your Pick To Click (defense): Let's go with Jaylan Alexander, because Purdue's linebackers must have a good day inside the box if the Boilermakers are to have any chance to slow down Michigan State's offense. The Spartans love play-action, which works because of Walker, but Alexander and the LBs have to find a way not to bite.
Your Hottest Take, A Salacious Opinion Conveyed Performatively For Attention Unlike the Wisconsin and Minnesota games, I expect the Boilermakers to play well and throw some punches at the MSU defense. Maybe hit on a couple big plays, be there at the finish. But the Spartans are finding ways to win, so I think they do it again ...
Predicted Score: Michigan State 27, Purdue 24
