Meet the Opponent: Indiana Travels to Purdue for Old Oaken Bucket Game

Both Indiana and Purdue enter Saturday's finale with 3-8 records on the season. Here's what to know about the Boilermakers heading into the Old Oaken Bucket Game.

The 2023 college football season has been one to forget for both Indiana and Purdue. But both teams have an opportunity to end the year on a positive note, looking for a win in the Old Oaken Bucket Game.

Purdue has won the last two meetings against Indiana, including a 30-16 victory last year in Bloomington. Can the Hoosiers return the favor in West Lafayette? 

Here's what to know about the Boilers:

Key Players: Offense

• Sophomore running back Devin Mockobee has emerged as one of the top ball carriers in the Big Ten early in his career. He's been a workhorse for the Boilermakers on the ground this season, rushing for 769 yards and six touchdowns. He does have a tendency to put the ball on the turf, though.

• Tyrone Tracy Jr. is somewhat of a gadget guy for the Boilermakers, making the switch from wide receiver to running back. Purdue has done a great job of getting him the ball in a number of ways, including handoffs, sweeps and reverses. Even more than Mockobee, Tracy has big-play ability.

• Wide receiver Deion Burks started the season off strong with a 152-yard performance against Fresno State. While he's still one of the biggest threats for the Boilermakers in the passing attack, his production has slowed down. Still, when he's left open, he's capable of doing a lot of damage to the defense.

Key Players: Defense

• Indiana's offensive line will want to keep an eye on sophomore linebacker Nic Scourton. He has been a bright spot for Purdue's defense and leads the Big Ten with eight sacks this season. He's also accounted for 44 tackles, three pass break-ups and a forced fumble.

• Keeping it at linebacker, Kydran Jenkins is another defensive player who is capable of getting into the backfield against the Hoosiers. He's racked up 14.5 tackles for loss, which includes 7.5 sacks.

• Freshman Dillon Thieneman has made a name for himself this season in West Lafayette. He's earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors four times this year and has the potential to be an All-Big Ten selection. He's intercepted four passes to go along with 98 total stops.

Purdue Notes

• Secondary Issues: As good as the Boilermakers have been at getting to the quarterback, the secondary is seriously struggling. Purdue's defense ranks last in the Big Ten against the pass this season, allowing 242 yards per game through the air.

• Points on the Board: Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of Purdue's season has been the inability to score in the red zone. The Boilermakers have converted just 71% of the time when getting into scoring territory, ranking 13th in the conference.

• Getting Pressure: Purdue's defense has hung its hat on pressuring the quarterback all year long. Thanks to efforts from Jenkins and Scourton, the Boilers have totaled 33 sacks on the year, the second-best total in the league.

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• OPENING LINE: Heading into the Old Oaken Bucket rivalry game against Indiana, Purdue is a 3.5-point favorite. CLICK HERE