Purdue Boilermakers Coach Ryan Walters 'Excited to Play and Compete' vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
While No. 3 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes are heavy 19.5-point favorites as they travel to West Lafayette, Indiana, to face the 2-4 Purdue Boilermakers, it is still imperative that neither side take the game lightly.
For the Buckeyes, there can be no feeling of already having the game won before the ball is even snapped because they have a better record or are the favorite to win. In contrast, the Boilermakers cannot use the point spread as a reason not to try their hardest at pulling the upset, something they've done four times in the last 10 matchups.
“Ohio State is a national brand for a reason," Boilmaker coach Ryan Walters said of the Buckeyes. "I have a lot of respect for Ryan Day and what he has done in his career. But you go play to win the game. That is the purpose of competition. We are excited to go play and compete.”
It was just five years ago the last time the Boilermakers pulled the upset over then-No. 2 ranked Ohio State inside Ross–Ade Stadium. In what turned out to be Urban Meyer's final year as the Buckeyes' coach, Purdue's 49-20 upset happened thanks to a pair of current NFL players, quarterback David Blough and receiver Rondale Moore.
Blough, now a backup quarterback for the Detroit Lions, completed 25 of his 43 passes for 378 yards and three touchdowns, with his receiver, Moore, catching 12 of those passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns.
It was a shocking performance for both sides and something that Walters said he would remind his team about in the leadup to kickoff.
“I have some creative ways to give the history of this game and what it meant the last time (Ohio State) was here," Walters said. "They’ll definitely be aware.”
However, on the flip side, it is also something likely to be mentioned by Day, who was on the sidelines for that game, where he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the time.
With hopes of not only making the Big-10 title game but going beyond and winning the national championship after coming so close a season ago, the Buckeyes' path to achieving their goals runs through West Lafayette.
