5 Storylines I'll Be Watching in Purdue's Week 7 Game vs. Washington
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Purdue is carrying a lot of confidence and momentum into Friday night's Big Ten clash against Washington. The Boilermakers have won back-to-back games over Illinois and Minnesota and are hoping to head into their bye week with a third consecutive victory.
Washington, on the other hand, is still searching for its first Big Ten victory of the 2026 campaign. The trajectory of both programs, along with some interesting familiarity between the two programs, makes for some interesting storylines entering Friday's game at Ross-Ade Stadium.
Here are a few things I'll be watching during Friday's matchup.
Preparing for two quarterbacks
This will be a unique challenge for Purdue this week. Demond Williams Jr. has been Washington's quarterback for the past two seasons, but a rib injury may keep him sidelined for the game. On the initial availability report, the Huskies listed him as "questionable." That means Purdue will have to prepare for both Williams and backup quarterback Elijah Brown.
Brown played well when he entered the game against No. 20 Iowa last week. He completed 28-of-39 passes for 251 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. The Boilermakers will have some film on him, but not a lot.
How much could preparing for two quarterbacks hinder Purdue's defense this week? Is Brown going to be difficult to game plan for? It's the first time this season the Boilermakers have faced this type of situation.
By land or by air?
For most of the season, Purdue's greatest strength has been its passing attack. Quarterback Ryan Brown is completing more than 68% of his passes and has thrown nine touchdowns with just one interception. The wide receiver room has been the Boilermakers' most consistent skill position group through the first six games.
However, running back Fame Ijeboi exploded last week against Minnesota. He rushed for 195 yards and three touchdowns. Browne added 81 yards and a score with his legs, too. So, that begs the question, what is Purdue's best strategy against Washington offensively?
Offensive coordinator Josh Henson has done an excellent job this season, playing to Purdue's strengths and exploiting weaknesses of opposing defenses. Washington ranks in the middle of the Big Ten in both the run and the pass. This could be a night when the Boilers have a balanced attack.
Getting off the field on 3rd down (again)
Ending drives and getting third-down stops have been a problem for Purdue this season, but it wasn't last weekend against Minnesota. The Gophers converted just 4-of-13 third-down tries on Saturday. The Boilers even forced them into a handful of three-and-outs, something we haven't seen much.
Purdue faces another offense that has struggled with its third-down efficiency this year. Washington is converting in those situations just 31.25% of the time. That percentage ranks last in the Big Ten and is tied for 122nd nationally.
If the Boilermakers are able to shut down those drives and keep the Huskies offense sidelines, Friday night's result could look similar to the one we saw last Saturday.
Avoiding a letdown
After putting tallies in the win column in back-to-back weeks, Purdue should enter Friday's game with plenty of confidence. But the Boilers can't be looking ahead to the bye week or overlook a struggling Washington team. In the Big Ten, it's easy to let one slip through your fingers if you're not locked in.
Because of the turmoil this program has faced over the last two seasons, it seems unlikely that this team will let its guard down. You're still dealing with student athletes who range in age from 18 to 23, though. It's human nature to get comfortable sometimes.
Purdue hasn't been in this situation too often recently, so it will be interesting to see how the Boilermakers handle the success of the last two weeks.
Family, familiarity and football
Friday's game has some unique storylines. Barry Odom will see a family member on the other sideline. His younger brother, Brian, is the linebackers coach for the Huskies. The younger Odom got the best of his older sibling last year, with Washington crushing the Boilers 49-13.
Plus, this weekend's game will feature a matchup of former colleagues. Ryan Walters and Kevin Kane worked at Illinois together in 2021 and 2022, and when Walters was named head coach at Purdue in 2023, he brought Kane on as defensive coordinator. There will be a friendly rivalry there, too.
Both sides know each other pretty well, which only adds to the intrigue.
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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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