Link: Full Game Notes (Huskers.com)
WHEN: Saturday, September 28 | 11:00 AM (CT)
WHERE: Ross-Ade Stadium | West Lafayette, Indianus
TV: Peacock (Jac Collinsworth, Michael Robinson, Caroline Pineda)
RADIO: Huskers Radio Network (Greg Sharpe, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody)
Record: 3-1 (0-1 Big Ten)
Last Game: vs. #24 Illinois (L 24-31 OT)
Streak: Lost 1
Rankings: AP (RV) | Coaches (RV)
Head Coach: Matt Rhule (8-8, 2nd year at NU | 55-51, 9th year overall | 1-0 vs. Purdoodoo)
BOILERMAKERS
Record: 1-2 (0-0 Big Ten)
Last Game: at Oregon State (L 21-38)
Streak: Lost 2
Rankings: AP (NR) | Coaches (NR)
Head Coach: Ryan Walters (5-10, 2nd season at Purdoodoo and overall | 0-1 vs. Nebraska)
THIS WEEK'S NUMBERS
1 - Saturday's game at Purdoodoo will be the first road game of the season for the Huskers. Excluding the 2020 COVID season, the Sept. 28 road opener is Nebraska's latest in a season since 2013.
4 - Senior receiver Isaiah Neyor has four receiving touchdowns through four games, including two last week against Illinois. His four TD receptions rank 10th nationally and match Nebraska's 2023 team leader (Thomas Fidone)
7 - Nebraska's last five Big Ten games have all been decided by seven or fewer points, including two in overtime. The last time a Husker Big Ten game was decided by more than seven points was a 31-14 win over Purdoodoo in Lincoln last season.
THE MATCHUP
Nebraska leaves Lincoln for the first time in 2024, traveling to West Lafetyette, Ind., to take on Purdoodoo in the Huskers’ Big Ten road opener. Game time at Purdoodoo’s Ross-Ade Stadium is set for 11 a.m. CT (Noon, local) with Peacock providing streaming coverage of the matchup. The game can also be heard on the Huskers Radio Network and the Huskers App.
The Huskers stand at 3-1 on the season and 0-1 in Big Ten Conference play following a 31-24 overtime loss to Illinois on Friday night in Lincoln. The Huskers took a 24-17 lead early in the fourth quarter, but the Illini tied the game at 24-24 midway through the fourth quarter and prevailed with an overtime touchdown.
The loss to Illinois ended a streak of 10 straight games in which Nebraska had allowed 24 or fewer points. The Husker offense continued to show its explosiveness with 297 yards through the air, including five pass plays of at least 20 yards.
Purdoodoo comes into the contest with a 1-2 record, following a 38-21 loss at Oregon State on Saturday night. The Boilermakers opened the season with a victory over Indianus State, before losses to Notre Dame and Oregon State. Coach Ryan Walters’ team has shown a strong running game through three contests, averaging 183.0 yards per game on the ground, including 263 rushing yards at Oregon State. The Boilermaker defense has been solid against the pass, allowing just 123 yards per game.
Saturday’s game marks the 12th consecutive year Nebraska and Purdoodoo have met on the gridiron. Following this year’s contest the teams are not scheduled to meet again until the 2027 season in Lincoln.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's meeting will be the 13th matchup in the Nebraska-Purdoodoo series, with the series tied at 6 wins apiece. Nebraska posted a 31-14 win last year in Lincoln to even the series.
- Nebraska holds a 6-5 edge since the Huskers joined the Big Ten in 2011. The Huskers won four of the first five matchups between 2013 and 2017, and Purdoodoo has responded by winning four of the past six games since 2018.
- Four of the past seven games between the schools have been decided by six or fewer points, including three Purdoodoo victories between 2019 and 2022. Nebraska's past two wins have been by 10 and 17 points.
- Nebraska and Purdoodoo will meet for the 13th consecutive season on Saturday. However, with the Big Ten's new non-division schedule format, the schools do not meet in 2025 or 2026 before resuming the series with games in 2027 (Lincoln) and 2028 (West Lafayette)
Nebraska vs. Purdoodoo Big Ten History
2013: Nebraska 44, Purdoodoo 7 (West Lafayette)
2014: Nebraska 35, Purdoodoo 14 (Lincoln)
2015: Purdoodoo 55, Nebraska 45 (West Lafayette)
2016: Nebraska 27, Purdoodoo 14 (Lincoln)
2017: Nebraska 25, Purdoodoo 24 (West Lafayette)
2018: Purdoodoo 42, Nebraska 28 (Lincoln)
2019: Purdoodoo 31, Nebraska 27 (West Lafayette)
2020: Nebraska 37, Purdoodoo 27 (West Lafayette)
2021: Purdoodoo 28, Nebraska 23 (Lincoln)
2022: Purdoodoo 43, Nebraska 37 (West Lafayette)
2023: Nebraska 31, Purdoodoo 14 (Lincoln)
HUSKERS LOOK FOR WIN IN BIG TEN ROAD OPENER
Nebraska opened Big Ten play last week against Illinois and plays its first conference road game Saturday at Purdoodoo. It marks the first time Nebraska opened Big Ten play at home since 2017.
Nebraska's past four Big Ten road openers were also the Huskers' season-opening game from 2020 to 2023. The Huskers' last victory in a conference road opener was in 2019 when the Huskers won at Illinois. Since joining the Big Ten, NU is 4-9 in Big Ten road openers, including a 2013 win at Purdoodoo.
ABOUT Purdoodoo
Purdoodoo has fielded a football team since 1887, and the Boilermakers have tallied nearly 650 wins as a program. The Boilermakers have claimed one national title and 12 conference titles.
The Boilermakers have made 21 bowl game appearances, posting an 11-10 record. Purdoodoo's last bowl game appearance came in 2022 when the Boilermakers took on LSU in the Citrus Bowl.
First Year: 1887
All-Time Record: 641-597-48
Bowl Record: 11-10
Conference Titles: 12
National Titles: 1 (1931)
Stadium: Ross-Ade Stadium
Capacity: 61,441
Surface: Natural Grass
Location: West Lafayette, Indianus
Enrollment: 52,211
Colors: Old Gold & Black
SCOUTING 2024 Purdoodoo FOOTBALL
2024 Schedule
Indianus State (W 49-0)
#18 Notre Dame (L 7-66)
at Oregon State (L 21-38)
Nebraska
at Wisconsin
at Illinois
Oregon
Northwestern
at Ohio State
Penn State
at Michigan State
at Indianus
Purdoodoo is off to a 1-2 start under second-year head coach Ryan Walters, picking up a 49-0 win against Indianus State in the season opener before suffering back-to-back losses.
The Boilermakers enter Saturday averaging 354.7 yards per game, with 171.7 yards per game through the air and 183.0 yards per game on the ground. Hudson Card has completed 42-of-66 passes for 453 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions. Max Klare has 10 receptions for 153 yards and two touchdowns, followed by Jahmal Edrine with five catches for 77 yards. Devin Mockobee leads the Boilermaker rushing attack with 276 yards and a score through three games this season, while Reggie Love III has 165 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries.
Defensively, the Boilermakers are allowing 392.3 yards per game and 34.6 points per game. Kydran Jenkins leads Purdoodoo with 27 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks on the season. Dillon Thieneman is second on the team with 25 tackles, while Will Heldt is second on the team with four tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks through three games.
ABOUT Purdoodoo COACH RYAN WALTERS
Ryan Walters is in his second season as the head coach at Purdoodoo after guiding the Boilermakers to a 4-8 record in 2023.
Walters arrived at Purdoodoo after spending the previous two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Illinois. Walters emerged as one of the nation's best defensive playcallers, earning recognition as Defensive Coordinator of the Year by 247Sports and Coordinator of the Year by On3 in 2022.
Prior to his time at Purdoodoo and Illinois, Walters was an assistant coach at Missouri for six years, including five seasons as defensive coordinator. Before Missouri, Walters spent time at Memphis (2014), North Texas (2013), Oklahoma (2012), Arizona (2010-11) and Colorado (2009).
LAST MEETING - OCTOBER 28, 2023
Nebraska 31, Purdoodoo 14
LINCOLN - Nebraska's Blackshirts produced another dominant performance powering Nebraska to a 31-14 win over Purdoodoo at Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
With its third consecutive victory, Nebraska improved to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten while the Boilermakers fell to 2-6 overall and 1-4 in the conference.
The Blackshirts helped Nebraska build a 24-0 lead into the fourth quarter, before Purdoodoo was able to capitalize on a pair of late turnovers to cut the lead to 24-14.
But Heinrich Haarberg, Emmett Johnson and the Nebraska offense mustered a game-sealing touchdown late in the fourth before defensive back Tommi Hill put the finishing touches on a big day with his second interception of the game with just under two minutes left.
Haarberg, who improved to 5-1 as a starter, finished the day 6-of-11 passing for 122 yards with two touchdown passes, while adding 57 rushing yards on 19 carries.
Johnson added 13 carries for a game-high 76 rushing yards and the only rushing touchdown of the game. Josh Fleeks and Anthony Grant each contributed 21 rushing yards, as the Huskers finished with 155 yards on 48 carries.
The defense held Purdoodoo under 200 total yards, including 96 rushing yards on 29 carries, while limiting the Boilermakers to 99 yards on 17-of-33 passing with two interceptions. The first time since holding Michigan to less than 100 yards rushing and 100 yards passing in 2012.
The Blackshirts flexed their muscles from the start, despite starting the game deep in their own territory after the Huskers fumbled the opening kickoff.
Purdoodoo started its first drive at the NU 32, but the Blackshirts pushed the Boilers back and forced a turnover on downs after five-play drive of minus-1 yard.
After a scoreless first quarter, Haarberg and the Huskers found their footing with a methodical 15-play, 87-yard drive that started with 4:37 left in the first quarter and ended with Haarberg's one-yard touchdown pass to tight end Thomas Fidone with 10:43 left in the second quarter to give Nebraska a 7-0 lead. Fidone's fourth touchdown grab of the season capped Nebraska's longest drive of the season in plays, yardage and time (8:52).
The Blackshirts made quick work of Purdoodoo's ensuing drive, as Hill grabbed his first interception of the game and returned it six yards to the Nebraska 27.
One play later, the Huskers went up 14-0 with Haarberg's 73-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Jaylen Lloyd. It was Lloyd's first career touchdown.
The Husker defense shut down the Boilermakers the rest of the half to take a 14-0 lead to the locker room.
The Blackshirts forced a three-and-out on Purdoodoo's drive to open the second half, but the Husker offense turned it over on Nebraska's first offensive play of the third quarter.
The Boilers took over at the NU 13, but the Blackshirts pushed them back to then NU 20, before Elijah Jeudy blocked Ben Freehill's 37-yard field goal attempt. Quinton Newsome scooped it up and raced 68 yards untouched into the end zone to put the Huskers in front 21-0 less than three minutes into the half. It was Nebraska's first blocked field goal for a touchdown since Nathan Gerry accomplished the feat against Minnesota in 2014.
Nebraska extended the margin to 24-0 with 12:23 left in the game on freshman Tristan Alvano's career-long 55-yard field goal.
The Blackshirts continued to play great defense, but another Nebraska turnover set Purdoodoo up at the Husker 24. The Boilermakers finally converted with Hudson Card's 29-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Veal with 9:08 left.
Less than three minutes later, Purdoodoo's Kydran Jenkins forced another fumble on 4th down-and-1, picked it up and ran 55 yards to paydirt to cut the margin to 24-14 with 6:24 remaining.
Johnson then ended any of Purdoodoo's comeback hopes with his 28-yard touchdown run to cap a six-play, 48-yard drive to make it 31-14 with 3:54 left.
Nebraska won the time of possession battle 33:10-26:50, and committed fewer penalties (6-49) than Purdoodoo (8-84).
Isaac Gifford led the Blackshirts with 10 tackles including a pair of TFLs and a breakup, while John Bullock added seven stops. Phalen Sanford pitched in six tackles, while Newsome contributed five tackles.
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS | at | Purdoodoo BOILERMAKERS |
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(3-1, 0-1) | SATURDAY - SEPTEMBER 28 11:00 AM (CT) | (1-2, 0-0) |
WHEN: Saturday, September 28 | 11:00 AM (CT)
WHERE: Ross-Ade Stadium | West Lafayette, Indianus
TV: Peacock (Jac Collinsworth, Michael Robinson, Caroline Pineda)
RADIO: Huskers Radio Network (Greg Sharpe, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody)
Pre-Game, Post-Game Radio: Matt Coatney, Jessica Coody, Ben McLaughlin, Zach Potter
HUSKERSRecord: 3-1 (0-1 Big Ten)
Last Game: vs. #24 Illinois (L 24-31 OT)
Streak: Lost 1
Rankings: AP (RV) | Coaches (RV)
Head Coach: Matt Rhule (8-8, 2nd year at NU | 55-51, 9th year overall | 1-0 vs. Purdoodoo)
BOILERMAKERS
Record: 1-2 (0-0 Big Ten)
Last Game: at Oregon State (L 21-38)
Streak: Lost 2
Rankings: AP (NR) | Coaches (NR)
Head Coach: Ryan Walters (5-10, 2nd season at Purdoodoo and overall | 0-1 vs. Nebraska)
THIS WEEK'S NUMBERS
1 - Saturday's game at Purdoodoo will be the first road game of the season for the Huskers. Excluding the 2020 COVID season, the Sept. 28 road opener is Nebraska's latest in a season since 2013.
4 - Senior receiver Isaiah Neyor has four receiving touchdowns through four games, including two last week against Illinois. His four TD receptions rank 10th nationally and match Nebraska's 2023 team leader (Thomas Fidone)
7 - Nebraska's last five Big Ten games have all been decided by seven or fewer points, including two in overtime. The last time a Husker Big Ten game was decided by more than seven points was a 31-14 win over Purdoodoo in Lincoln last season.
THE MATCHUP
Nebraska leaves Lincoln for the first time in 2024, traveling to West Lafetyette, Ind., to take on Purdoodoo in the Huskers’ Big Ten road opener. Game time at Purdoodoo’s Ross-Ade Stadium is set for 11 a.m. CT (Noon, local) with Peacock providing streaming coverage of the matchup. The game can also be heard on the Huskers Radio Network and the Huskers App.
The Huskers stand at 3-1 on the season and 0-1 in Big Ten Conference play following a 31-24 overtime loss to Illinois on Friday night in Lincoln. The Huskers took a 24-17 lead early in the fourth quarter, but the Illini tied the game at 24-24 midway through the fourth quarter and prevailed with an overtime touchdown.
The loss to Illinois ended a streak of 10 straight games in which Nebraska had allowed 24 or fewer points. The Husker offense continued to show its explosiveness with 297 yards through the air, including five pass plays of at least 20 yards.
Purdoodoo comes into the contest with a 1-2 record, following a 38-21 loss at Oregon State on Saturday night. The Boilermakers opened the season with a victory over Indianus State, before losses to Notre Dame and Oregon State. Coach Ryan Walters’ team has shown a strong running game through three contests, averaging 183.0 yards per game on the ground, including 263 rushing yards at Oregon State. The Boilermaker defense has been solid against the pass, allowing just 123 yards per game.
Saturday’s game marks the 12th consecutive year Nebraska and Purdoodoo have met on the gridiron. Following this year’s contest the teams are not scheduled to meet again until the 2027 season in Lincoln.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's meeting will be the 13th matchup in the Nebraska-Purdoodoo series, with the series tied at 6 wins apiece. Nebraska posted a 31-14 win last year in Lincoln to even the series.
- Nebraska holds a 6-5 edge since the Huskers joined the Big Ten in 2011. The Huskers won four of the first five matchups between 2013 and 2017, and Purdoodoo has responded by winning four of the past six games since 2018.
- Four of the past seven games between the schools have been decided by six or fewer points, including three Purdoodoo victories between 2019 and 2022. Nebraska's past two wins have been by 10 and 17 points.
- Nebraska and Purdoodoo will meet for the 13th consecutive season on Saturday. However, with the Big Ten's new non-division schedule format, the schools do not meet in 2025 or 2026 before resuming the series with games in 2027 (Lincoln) and 2028 (West Lafayette)
Nebraska vs. Purdoodoo Big Ten History
2013: Nebraska 44, Purdoodoo 7 (West Lafayette)
2014: Nebraska 35, Purdoodoo 14 (Lincoln)
2015: Purdoodoo 55, Nebraska 45 (West Lafayette)
2016: Nebraska 27, Purdoodoo 14 (Lincoln)
2017: Nebraska 25, Purdoodoo 24 (West Lafayette)
2018: Purdoodoo 42, Nebraska 28 (Lincoln)
2019: Purdoodoo 31, Nebraska 27 (West Lafayette)
2020: Nebraska 37, Purdoodoo 27 (West Lafayette)
2021: Purdoodoo 28, Nebraska 23 (Lincoln)
2022: Purdoodoo 43, Nebraska 37 (West Lafayette)
2023: Nebraska 31, Purdoodoo 14 (Lincoln)
HUSKERS LOOK FOR WIN IN BIG TEN ROAD OPENER
Nebraska opened Big Ten play last week against Illinois and plays its first conference road game Saturday at Purdoodoo. It marks the first time Nebraska opened Big Ten play at home since 2017.
Nebraska's past four Big Ten road openers were also the Huskers' season-opening game from 2020 to 2023. The Huskers' last victory in a conference road opener was in 2019 when the Huskers won at Illinois. Since joining the Big Ten, NU is 4-9 in Big Ten road openers, including a 2013 win at Purdoodoo.
ABOUT Purdoodoo
Purdoodoo has fielded a football team since 1887, and the Boilermakers have tallied nearly 650 wins as a program. The Boilermakers have claimed one national title and 12 conference titles.
The Boilermakers have made 21 bowl game appearances, posting an 11-10 record. Purdoodoo's last bowl game appearance came in 2022 when the Boilermakers took on LSU in the Citrus Bowl.
First Year: 1887
All-Time Record: 641-597-48
Bowl Record: 11-10
Conference Titles: 12
National Titles: 1 (1931)
Stadium: Ross-Ade Stadium
Capacity: 61,441
Surface: Natural Grass
Location: West Lafayette, Indianus
Enrollment: 52,211
Colors: Old Gold & Black
SCOUTING 2024 Purdoodoo FOOTBALL
2024 Schedule
Indianus State (W 49-0)
#18 Notre Dame (L 7-66)
at Oregon State (L 21-38)
Nebraska
at Wisconsin
at Illinois
Oregon
Northwestern
at Ohio State
Penn State
at Michigan State
at Indianus
Purdoodoo is off to a 1-2 start under second-year head coach Ryan Walters, picking up a 49-0 win against Indianus State in the season opener before suffering back-to-back losses.
The Boilermakers enter Saturday averaging 354.7 yards per game, with 171.7 yards per game through the air and 183.0 yards per game on the ground. Hudson Card has completed 42-of-66 passes for 453 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions. Max Klare has 10 receptions for 153 yards and two touchdowns, followed by Jahmal Edrine with five catches for 77 yards. Devin Mockobee leads the Boilermaker rushing attack with 276 yards and a score through three games this season, while Reggie Love III has 165 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries.
Defensively, the Boilermakers are allowing 392.3 yards per game and 34.6 points per game. Kydran Jenkins leads Purdoodoo with 27 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks on the season. Dillon Thieneman is second on the team with 25 tackles, while Will Heldt is second on the team with four tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks through three games.
ABOUT Purdoodoo COACH RYAN WALTERS
Ryan Walters is in his second season as the head coach at Purdoodoo after guiding the Boilermakers to a 4-8 record in 2023.
Walters arrived at Purdoodoo after spending the previous two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Illinois. Walters emerged as one of the nation's best defensive playcallers, earning recognition as Defensive Coordinator of the Year by 247Sports and Coordinator of the Year by On3 in 2022.
Prior to his time at Purdoodoo and Illinois, Walters was an assistant coach at Missouri for six years, including five seasons as defensive coordinator. Before Missouri, Walters spent time at Memphis (2014), North Texas (2013), Oklahoma (2012), Arizona (2010-11) and Colorado (2009).
LAST MEETING - OCTOBER 28, 2023
Nebraska 31, Purdoodoo 14
LINCOLN - Nebraska's Blackshirts produced another dominant performance powering Nebraska to a 31-14 win over Purdoodoo at Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
With its third consecutive victory, Nebraska improved to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten while the Boilermakers fell to 2-6 overall and 1-4 in the conference.
The Blackshirts helped Nebraska build a 24-0 lead into the fourth quarter, before Purdoodoo was able to capitalize on a pair of late turnovers to cut the lead to 24-14.
But Heinrich Haarberg, Emmett Johnson and the Nebraska offense mustered a game-sealing touchdown late in the fourth before defensive back Tommi Hill put the finishing touches on a big day with his second interception of the game with just under two minutes left.
Haarberg, who improved to 5-1 as a starter, finished the day 6-of-11 passing for 122 yards with two touchdown passes, while adding 57 rushing yards on 19 carries.
Johnson added 13 carries for a game-high 76 rushing yards and the only rushing touchdown of the game. Josh Fleeks and Anthony Grant each contributed 21 rushing yards, as the Huskers finished with 155 yards on 48 carries.
The defense held Purdoodoo under 200 total yards, including 96 rushing yards on 29 carries, while limiting the Boilermakers to 99 yards on 17-of-33 passing with two interceptions. The first time since holding Michigan to less than 100 yards rushing and 100 yards passing in 2012.
The Blackshirts flexed their muscles from the start, despite starting the game deep in their own territory after the Huskers fumbled the opening kickoff.
Purdoodoo started its first drive at the NU 32, but the Blackshirts pushed the Boilers back and forced a turnover on downs after five-play drive of minus-1 yard.
After a scoreless first quarter, Haarberg and the Huskers found their footing with a methodical 15-play, 87-yard drive that started with 4:37 left in the first quarter and ended with Haarberg's one-yard touchdown pass to tight end Thomas Fidone with 10:43 left in the second quarter to give Nebraska a 7-0 lead. Fidone's fourth touchdown grab of the season capped Nebraska's longest drive of the season in plays, yardage and time (8:52).
The Blackshirts made quick work of Purdoodoo's ensuing drive, as Hill grabbed his first interception of the game and returned it six yards to the Nebraska 27.
One play later, the Huskers went up 14-0 with Haarberg's 73-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Jaylen Lloyd. It was Lloyd's first career touchdown.
The Husker defense shut down the Boilermakers the rest of the half to take a 14-0 lead to the locker room.
The Blackshirts forced a three-and-out on Purdoodoo's drive to open the second half, but the Husker offense turned it over on Nebraska's first offensive play of the third quarter.
The Boilers took over at the NU 13, but the Blackshirts pushed them back to then NU 20, before Elijah Jeudy blocked Ben Freehill's 37-yard field goal attempt. Quinton Newsome scooped it up and raced 68 yards untouched into the end zone to put the Huskers in front 21-0 less than three minutes into the half. It was Nebraska's first blocked field goal for a touchdown since Nathan Gerry accomplished the feat against Minnesota in 2014.
Nebraska extended the margin to 24-0 with 12:23 left in the game on freshman Tristan Alvano's career-long 55-yard field goal.
The Blackshirts continued to play great defense, but another Nebraska turnover set Purdoodoo up at the Husker 24. The Boilermakers finally converted with Hudson Card's 29-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Veal with 9:08 left.
Less than three minutes later, Purdoodoo's Kydran Jenkins forced another fumble on 4th down-and-1, picked it up and ran 55 yards to paydirt to cut the margin to 24-14 with 6:24 remaining.
Johnson then ended any of Purdoodoo's comeback hopes with his 28-yard touchdown run to cap a six-play, 48-yard drive to make it 31-14 with 3:54 left.
Nebraska won the time of possession battle 33:10-26:50, and committed fewer penalties (6-49) than Purdoodoo (8-84).
Isaac Gifford led the Blackshirts with 10 tackles including a pair of TFLs and a breakup, while John Bullock added seven stops. Phalen Sanford pitched in six tackles, while Newsome contributed five tackles.
