5 Keys to Victory For Purdue in Week 3 vs. UCLA
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On Saturday night, Purdue will have a chance to end a few long losing streaks. The Boilermakers are still searching for their first Power Four victory, and a win over a Big Ten opponent, since the end of the 2023 season. They could end both of those droughts with a win over UCLA.
Beating UCLA won't be easy, as the Bruins are off to a 2-0 start under new head coach Bob Chesney. Plus, kickoff is scheduled for 11 p.m. ET, which isn't exactly an advantage for Purdue.
Purdue will have to play well on Saturday to get a win and start off Big Ten play 1-0, something it hasn't done since 2021. How can the Boilers defeat the Bruins this weekend in Pasadena?
Consistent quarterback pressure
Purdue finally got pressure on Wake Forest quarterback Gio Lopez in the second half of last weekend's game, but it was too little, too late. The Boilermakers must get UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava into high-pressure situations early and continue to do so throughout the game.
Iamaleava isn't the most efficient passer, as he's completing 63.6% of his passes for 335 yards with two interceptions and no touchdowns. He can be problematic with his feet, though, which is where he can hurt Purdue's defense the most.
Indiana State quarterback Elijah Owens and Lopez both picked up chunk yards against the Boilermakers in the first two weeks of the season. In the first two games, Purdue's defense has allowed 119 yards from the quarterabcks. The Boilers must get to Iamaleava and find a way to contain him.
Take a few shots down the field
Something interesting about Purdue's first two games has been its explosiveness. The Boilermakers have ripped off 36 plays that have resulted in 10 yards or more, which ranks fifth in the Big Ten. However, the offense has only produced one play that has exceeded 30 yards, which is last in the conference and tied for 121st nationally.
With Ryan Browne under center and Fame Ijeboi in the backfield, Purdue has moved the ball consistently this season. But a few down-field shots might help this offense even more.
This doesn't have to be something offensive coordinator Josh Henson experiments with much, but if he allows Browne to attempt to beat UCLA over the top a few times, it will keep the Bruins honest defensively. Plus, it could lead to more points for Purdue.
Avoid costly penalties
Purdue has been on the wrong side of penalties too often through the first two weeks of the season. The Boilers were flagged nine times for 85 yards in the opener against Indiana State and eight times for 50 yards against Week Forest in Week 2.
It's not just been the penalties, it's the timeliness of the penalties. The Boilers had three first-down penalties last week against Wake Forest, resulted in stalled drives. A holding call in Week 1 wiped off a 62-yard touchdown run by Ijeboi. Last Saturday, an illegal blindside block negated a 14-yard gain by Jaylan Hornsby.
Barry Odom has said that the Boilermakers aren't good enough to overcome a large number of penalties. We saw that last weekend against Wake Forest. Purdue must cut down on those costly mistakes.
Protect the football
Purdue has done an excellent job of protecting the football through the first two games. The Boilermakers have turned the ball over yet, but UCLA will play a little more aggressively and opportunisticly than Indiana State and Wake Forest.
The Bruins have forced four turnovers through two contests, three coming on interecptions. Browne should be congizant of that and make good decisions throughout the game. He's done that through two games, but it will be a different challenge on Saturday night in Pasadena.
Condense the fourth quarter
UCLA has been really good in the fourth quarter of the first two games this season. In the opener against Cal, the Bruins used two interceptions to outscore the Bears 21-0 in the final quarter and secure a 45-24 victory.
Last weekend against San Diego State, the Bruins only held a seven-point lead, but won the fourth quarter battle 21-10 to post a 28-10 win over the Aztecs.
Chesney's team has been really good at closing out games through two games. Purdue needs to limit UCLA's possessions in the fourth quarter and come up with timely stops.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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