5 Storylines to Watch in Purdue's Week 3 Matchup vs. UCLA
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Purdue opens Big Ten play on Saturday with a late-night kickoff against UCLA. The Boilermakers head to Pasadena after suffering a heartbreaking 38-36 double overtime loss to Wake Forest, while new head coach Bob Chesney has the Bruins sitting at 2-0.
Fans will need a few extra cups of coffee on Saturday, as kickoff won't be until 11 p.m. ET.
Both teams are hoping to begin Big Ten play with a 1-0 record, but the Boilers should be especially hungry for a win after letting one slip through their fingers last weekend.
What should we be watching during Saturday's game? Let's talk about a few storyline.
What is Purdue's mentality?
How does this year's team handle a heartbreaking loss? Will the Boilermakers come out of the tunnel motivated, wanting to bounce back in a big way after the agony of last week's outcome? Or will Purdue allow that hangover to linger into its first Big Ten game of the season?
Last year, Purdue suffered a tough loss to Minnesota, a game it should have won in Minneapolis. The following week, the Boilers were blanked by Northwestern, arguably their worst performance of the season.
Many players on this year's team weren't part of that 2-10 squad last fall, but this will be the first time we see how this group responds to adversity.
Getting more aggressive in the red zone
On paper, Purdue has had plenty of success in the red zone. The Boilermakers have converted on all 13 trips inside the opposing 20-yard line, resulting in eight touchdowns and five field goals. There's still plenty of room for improvement, though.
Two of those touchdowns came in overtime last week. Before that, Purdue had scored 11 times in the red zone, but settled for field goals on five trips. Against Big Ten opponents, the Boilers have to find ways to punch it across the goal line and get more touchdowns.
After last week's loss to Wake Forest, offensive coordinator Josh Henson said, given the chance to do it over, he would have allowed quarterback Ryan Browne to take another shot at the end zone at the end of regulation. Will we see a more aggressive offense when it gets deep into enemy territory on Saturday night?
The UCLA rushing attack
UCLA's greatest strength through the first two games has been running the football. Led by running backs Wayne Knight and Anthony Woods, the Bruins have the Big Ten's second-best rushing attack, averaging 245.5 yards per game. Their 10 rushing touchdowns are tied for the most in the country.
Additionally, quarterback Nico Iamaleava is a mobile guy who can pick up yardage with his feet. Containing those players has been an issue for Purdue through the first two games, which adds another threat to UCLA's ground success.
Purdue's defensive line needs to get a strong push up front to try to limit UCLA's rushing attack. The Boilers also need to eliminate Iamaleava's ability to scramble for chunk yardage.
Closing out games
In its first two games this season, UCLA has done an excellent job of closing out games in the fourth quarter. It's something Purdue hasn't been able to do in quite some time.
Last week, the Bruins took a 7-0 lead over San Diego State into the fourth quarter. The Bruins then outscored the Aztecs 21-10 in the final 15 minutes to secure a 28-10 victory. In Week 1, Chesney's squad found itself in a 24-24 tie with Cal through three quarters. UCLA won the fourth quarter 21-0 to get the win.
It's only two games, but UCLA has already shown it can close. Purdue is going to have to play a complete 60-minute game if it wants to get a win at Rose Bowl Stadium.
Cleaning up the penalties ... again
Penalties were an issue for Purdue again last week, finishing the game with eight penalties for 50 yards. That yardage total isn't massive, but a handful of ill-timed flags seriously hindered Purdue's offensive drives.
The Boilermakers can't have those same mistakes. They can't have explosive plays wiped off the board because of holding calls. Purdue can't afford false-start penalties inside the red zone.
Flags haven't only been an issue for Purdue. UCLA is currently the most penalized team in the Big Ten, averaging 10 penalties per game for an average of 90 yards.
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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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