Game Prediction: No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. No. 19 Purdue Boilermakers

The Buckeyes are on a 7-game winning streak, but nobody in the country has proven more often than they can slay a giant like Purdue. Will the Buckeyes defend The 'Shoe?

Author:
Brendan Gulick
Nov 12, 2021 8:15 AM EST

Ohio State hasn't played Purdue since that fateful night in 2018 when the Boilermakers knocked the Buckeyes out of College Football Playoff contention in a rather convincing upset. In fact, after playing almost every year for about a decade, the Buckeyes have played Purdue only that once since 2014.

Most of the rosters are entirely different this time around, although there are still a few players lingering from that last meeting. Ohio State and Purdue each feature one of the nation's top-10 passing offenses and the Purdue defense has been particularly stout against the pass.

Purdue has more wins in college football history as an unranked team against top-5 competition. But after beating Michigan State last weekend, the Boilermakers are now a top-20 in the country.

Here's what our BuckeyesNow staff is expecting this weekend at in Columbus.

PURDUE at OHIO STATE – Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
Spread: Ohio State (-21.0)
O/U Total: 62.5

Brendan Gulick: Ohio State 42, Purdue 22

Let's get one thing straight right off the bat ... I don't see the Buckeyes getting surprised this weekend. I think a 21-point spread is a bit rich for my tastes, but for as much as I really like Purdue and think they're legitimately a top-25 team in the country, I'm extremely skeptical of them upsetting Ohio State this weekend.

I think Purdue's offense is too one-dimensional. Their running game has been poor this season, but Aidan O'Connell has offset that by throwing for a ton of yardage - thanks in large part too one of the best receivers in the country.

I'm trusting the offensive line to look much better this week, even with a great player in George Karlaftis lining up across the way. If the Silver Bullets can get off the field, I think Ohio State wins this game with relative ease ... but I'm picking them to win by 20 and fall just short of the spread.

Andrew Lind: Ohio State 45, Purdue 13

Prior to Saturday’s win over No. 3 Michigan State, the last two times Purdue beat a top-five team, the Boilermakers followed it up with a 13-point performance in a loss. Just look at the scores of the games following their wins over Ohio State in 2018 and Iowa earlier this year if you don’t believe me.

Wide receiver David Bell has me hesitant to pick that result for the third straight time, but then again, the Buckeyes did a great job of limiting big plays from Penn State’s record-setting wideout Jahan Dotson two weeks ago. If they can do that again this week while getting their own run game going again, this shouldn’t be close.

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Brett Hiltbrand: Ohio State 45, Purdue 24

Did I or did I not warn you about Jeff Brohm and Purdue against Sparty last week? The man has a knack for wins that stick and ruin seasons while being covered in teflon when the Spoilermakers struggle. It's magic. Party's over though now that the CFP ranked Purdue this week. No one is more dangerous than that program when it's unranked (17 wins now against Top 5 teams - the most all-time in college football) and they're total house cats when they get inside that Top 25. I don't think that changes against Ohio State this week but much, much crazier things have happened when these two teams get together.

Caleb Spinner: Ohio State 44, Purdue 20

Ohio State is listed as 21-point favorites, but Purdue is much more than their rank and record. The Boilermakers have dispatched a couple CFP contenders (No. 2 Iowa and No. 3 Michigan State), and have one of the best receivers in college football, David Bell. Ohio State’s offense has cooled down over recent weeks. Ohio State had been on a four-game streak of scoring over 50 points that came to an end against Penn State and then Nebraska. However Purdue has one of the nation’s worst rushing defenses, and I believe Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson will take advantage of that. Buckeyes win, 44-20.

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