5 Storylines to Watch in Purdue's Week 2 Matchup vs. Wake Forest
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Purdue started its season off right last Friday, defeating Indiana State 44-19 in the season opener. The stakes are much higher heading into Saturday's contest, as the Boilermakers host Wake Forest in a critical early-season matchup.
The Boilermakers are looking to snap a 20-game losing streak to Power Four opponents and gain some momentum before the Big Ten opener against UCLA on Sept. 19. But beating the Demon Deacons won't be an easy task.
What are some of the biggest storylines heading into Saturday's matchup? Here are a few things to keep an eye on throughout the afternoon.
Gio Lopez's ability to scramble
Last week, Indiana State quarterback Elijah Owens was able to slip past the Purdue defense multiple times when the Boilermakers brought pressure. He ended the game accounting for 60 of the team's 66 rushing yards, converting a handful of third-down plays, too.
Kevin Kane's defense faces another mobile quarterback this weekend in Gio Lopez. In the opener, the Wake Forest quarterback rushed for 39 yards on seven carries. He can escape pressure to extend plays and can also pick up first downs with his legs.
What happens when Purdue brings pressure and a play breaks down? Can the Boilers get sacks or force Lopez to make poor decisions? Or will the Demon Deacons convert in those moments? That's going to be a major part of Saturday's game.
Cleaning up the penalties
One of the big concerns coming out of Week 1 was Purdue's discipline. The Boilermakers were flagged nine times for 85 yards. One penalty negated a long touchdown run by Fame Ijeboi, another wiped out a big special teams return and a third ultimately forced Purdue to kick a field goal instead of scoring a touchdown on a red zone trip.
After Friday's game, head coach Barry Odom said Purdue isn't good enough to overcome 85 penalty yards against good competition. Cleaning that up in Week 2 has to be a priority.
The one concern, though? Odom hinted that penalties were also an issue in fall camp. Purdue can't afford to have big plays wiped off the board or gift Wake Forest free yardage.
How does Purdue's offensive line hold up?
Purdue's offensive line did a good job creating running lanes for the running backs against Indiana State. It also gave quarterback Ryan Browne plenty of time to throw the football for most of the night, although there were a few breakdowns.
Holding up against Indiana State and Wake Forest are two different things, though. The Demon Deacons return eight defensive starters from last year's team, which includes Langston Hardy, who totaled 17 tackles for loss and seven sacks in 2025.
Wake Forest accounted for seven tackles for loss and two sacks against Akron in Week 1. The Deacons did allow the Zips to rush for 149 yards on 36 carries, though.
Purdue's secondary vs. Wake Forest's receivers
The secondary had some issues against Indiana State, especially late in the game. Purdue owned a 44-6 lead before the Sycamores connected on two deep passes to make the score more respectable when the final horn blew at Ross-Ade Stadium. Wake Forest has some big-play ability at the wide receiver position.
Three of Wake Forest's touchdowns came on explosive plays. Lopez connected with Kam Shanks on a 27-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, then hit Antonio Meeks for a 72-yard score in the second quarter. Later in the second quarter, Lopez threw a short pass to Carlos Hernandez, who turned it into a 78-yard touchdown jaunt.
Purdue's secondary can't allow Wake Forest's wide receivers to beat them down the field. The Boilers must play physically on the defensive end, contesting every thrown ball. They also need to bring down receivers in the open field, which won't be easy.
Converting in the red zone
Looking at the box score, Purdue had a successful night inside the red zone. The Boilermakers were 6-of-6 and scored four touchdowns. That's a pretty efficient night, regardless of opponent. But those first-half trips inside Indiana State's 20-yard line were a tad concerning.
Because of penalties and poor execution, Purdue had to settle for two field goals inside the red zone. The Boilers were also aided by a third-down penalty against Indiana State and Ijeboi saved his team from disaster in the third quarter after coraling a poor snap.
Against Power Four opponents, Purdue can't have those mistakes in the red zone. It has to be able to turn those trips into touchdowns and can't settle for too many field goals against Wake Forest.
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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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