The Purdue Boilermakers take on the Bowling Green Falcons this week in a game that will feature the country’s leading passer, Matt Johnson (1,358 yards, 12 TDs), and leading receiver, Roger Lewis (510 yards, 5 TDs). Coming into the game, both the Boilermakers and Falcons are 1-2. The game starts at 12:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sep 26 and will be available on BTN and the BTN2.
In last week’s matchup, Purdue struggled mightily against Virginia Tech 51-24. Markell Jones had a huge game running the ball in the loss, dashing six times for 90 yards and one TD. Bowling Green suffered a narrow defeat against Memphis 44-41 in its matchup. Roger Lewis had a great game for the Falcons, grabbing seven receptions for 261 yards and three TDs. Matt Johnson had a great game as well, adding 443 yards and four TDs through the air.
Purdue is a slender one-point favorite at home against the Falcons. According to the oddsmakers, the Over/Under (O/U) is currently 79 points.
With a 1-2 both Straight Up (SU) and Against The Spread (ATS), the Boilermakers will look to improve as they head into Week 4. The Boilermakers love to throw, ranking 18th in the country with 39.7 throwing attempts per game. As for the Purdue defense, a few key matchups could decide this game. A strong pass rush will help the Boilermakers win this game. That may not be too difficult with the Falcons ranking 123rd in sacks allowed with 3.7 per game. In the first quarter, Purdue is tough to stop, putting up 11.7 points in the first 15 minutes.
As for their opponent, the Falcons head into Week 4 with records of 2-1 ATS and 1-2 SU. Chances are Bowling Green will continue to rely on its passing attack, where its 455.7 passing yards per game ranks first in the nation. Moving on to the Bowling Green defense, there are certain areas where it measures up well against the Boilermakers. The Falcons defense might be able to pick off a few throws as the Boilermakers rank 120th in interceptions with two thrown per game. Purdue needs to keep its intensity through the fourth quarter against the Falcons, who average 11.7 points in the final 15 minutes of regulation.
Predictions: SU Winner – Purdue, ATS Winner – Purdue, O/U – Over
Notes
Purdue is 1-5-1 ATS in its last 7 games.
Purdue is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games.
Purdue is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home.
Purdue is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home.
Purdue is 1-1 SU when leading after three quarters this year.
Among all FBS teams, the Purdue offensive passing game is ranked 72nd in the nation, while the Bowling Green pass defense is only ranked 98th. The Falcons passing attack is ranked first, compared to the 71st-ranked pass defense of the Boilermakers.
Purdue has allowed 35.3 points per game this year, which is ranked 58th in the country. Bowling Green has put up 39.7 points per game this year and is ranked 26th in FBS.
