5 Storylines I'm Watching in Purdue's Week 9 Game vs. Penn State
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It might be overly cliché to say this, but Purdue's bye week came at the right time. The Boilermakers have had a bit of a roller-coaster year through the first seven games, and a break was necessary to regroup for the remaining five-week stretch to close out the 2026 campaign.
Both Purdue and Penn State enter Saturday's Halloween clash with 3-4 records. The Boilermakers are 2-2 in Big Ten play while the Nittany Lions are still searching for their first conference win under head coach Matt Campbell.
There are plenty of intriguing storylines entering Saturday's game. What will I be watching when Purdue and Penn State hit the field at Beaver Stadium this weekend?
Responding out of a bye week
Purdue had an emotional three weeks before heading into its bye. The Boilermakers defeated Illinois in Champaign and thumped Minnesota in West Lafayette before a disappointing performance against Washington on Oct. 17. Barry Odom's team has had two weeks to reflect on what it has done well and where it still needs to make improvements.
Although the Boilers have been in a great spot on the injury front all season long, some guys have been banged up. Having an additional week to get healthy serves this team well before entering the most difficult portion of its season.
Will the Boilers have any rust because of an off week? Will they look refreshed and play one of their better games of the season? This is a team with plenty to prove coming out of a bye.
The red zone situation
The red zone will be worth monitoring, particularly when it comes to Penn State's offense against Purdue's defense. The Boilermakers have allowed opponents to score touchdowns on 71.43% of their red zone trips this season, the second-worst percentage in the Big Ten.
However, Penn State's offense has struggled when it's gotten deep into opposing territory. The Nittany Lions have reached the end zone only 53.57% of its 28 red zone trips. They've settled for nine field goals and have walked away empty-handed four times.
Can Purdue's defense finally hold up in the red zone? If so, it's going to give itself a great opportunity to win Saturday's game.
Bounce-back opportunity for Fame Ijeboi
After eviscerating his former team and piling up 195 yards and three touchdowns against Minnesota on Oct. 10, Fame Ijeboi was limited to just 19 yards on 13 carries against Washington. The star running back has a great chance for a bounce-back performance in Happy Valley.
First, Odom told reporters after the Washington game that Ijeboi has been banged up since Week 2. Having a week to get off his feet and get healthier could be a major boost for the running back. Plus, he'll play a defense that has struggled mightily against the run this season.
Penn State's run defense ranks 17th in the Big Ten, surrendering 172.3 yards per game on the ground. Every Big Ten team the Nittany Lions have faced has rushed for at least 120 yards, and Northwestern piled up 413 yards on the ground. It could be a big day for Ijeboi.
A struggling Rocco Becht
In non-conference play, Rocco Becht appeared to be settling in nicely as Penn State's quarterback. He threw nine touchdown passes without an interception, averaged 287 yards per game through the air, and completed more than 74% of his passes in two of the first three contests.
Then Big Ten play began.
Becht hasn't played well in Penn State's four conference games this season. He completed just 41% of his passes in a loss to Wisconsin. He has thrown two interceptions in losses to Northwestern and Michigan. In those four games combined, Becht has thrown three touchdown passes and five picks.
Purdue's pass rush and secondary have battled their own issues this fall, but the Penn State quarterback has lacked consistency over the last four games.
Signature win opportunity for Barry Odom
The Boilermakers have already shown progress in Odom's second season as the head coach. After going winless in Big Ten play in 2024 and 2025, they have already secured a pair of conference victories and have a chance to add a few more to their tally.
Although Penn State is having a dreadful year and hasn't won a Big Ten game in four tries, a win in Happy Valley would still be a signature victory for the program under Odom's guidance.
Penn State leads the all-time series 17-3-1, and the Nittany Lions have won 11 straight times. Purdue's lone win at Beaver Stadium came in 2004. It may not be the traditional Penn State team, but it would be a monumental road victory for the Boilers.
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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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