Purdue is set to open Big Ten play this weekend as it plays host to the USC football team. Barry Odom has already improved Purdue from their 2024 season, when the Boilermakers won just one game. Meanwhile, Lincoln Riley looks to improve on a ninth-place finish in the Big Ten in 2024. As Big Ten play opens, it is time to make predictions for this clash between USC and Purdue.
Purdue was projected to be the worst team in the Big Ten this year, and while they still may be, a 2-0 start puts doubts to that. In two years with Ryan Walters as the head coach, Purdue won just five games. The 2024 season was a disaster, though, as the team went 1-11 and 0-9 in conference play. With wins over Ball State and Southern Illinois, the offense has looked better, and the team has already improved under Odom in his first season at the helm.
Meanwhile, USC and Riley are now in their second season in the Big Ten. The Trojans are also off to a solid start, winning both of their first two games. Still, the competition has not been fierce. It was a win over one of the newest FBS schools in Missouri State, and then a win over Georgia Southern. This will be the first road trip of the year for the Trojans.
USC dominates early again
The Trojans have started both games this year well. In Week 1 against Missouri State, USC put up 42 points in the first half. Jayden Maiava was nearly perfect, completing 15 of 18 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns. He also scored one on the ground, all in the first half. The Trojans scored on all five first-half possessions in that game, plus had a pick-six.
Against Georgia Southern, it was not quite the same start. Waymond Jordan fumbled on the first drive, and Georgia Southern scored on the subsequent possession. The Trojans then scored touchdowns on each of their next three drives, leading 21-6 at the end of the first quarter, and 31-13 at the half.
This trend will continue in this game. Purdue actually struggled early against Southern Illinois. The defense gave up a touchdown on the first two drives, and were tied at 14 at the end of the first quarter. While USC is traveling to the Eastern time zone, the 3:30 kick helps the Trojans out, and there will not be much of a slowdown due to travel. Expect USC to build a lead early and be able to grow it throughout the game.
Jayden Maiava has another stellar game
Maiava took over as the starting quarterback for USC towards the end of the 2024 season. He was solid overall, passing for over 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns. Still, he also threw six interceptions. This year, he has been stellar.
Maiava has passed for 707 yards while completing 73.8 percent of his passes. He also has six touchdown passes, a rushing touchdown, and has yet to turn the ball over. The junior quarterback has also yet to play in all four quarters of a game, being pulled for a backup due to USC being ahead by a large margin.
Meanwhile, Purdue just allowed DJ Williams of Southern Illinois to complete 20 of 33 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown. Williams also ran for a score and did not turn over the ball. Moreover, Kiael Kelly of Ball State did the most he could without weapons around him. He passed for just 87 yards, but ran for 63 more, being the top player on the Ball State offense in Week 1.
With how well Maiava is playing, combined with the fact that Prudue has struggled already against the pass this year, we can expect the USC quarterback to have a massive day.
Purdue leans on Devin Mockobee
The USC defense has also been solid this year. They are 38th in the nation in opponent points per game. Still, the run game has seen more success than the pass when a team can run. Both weeks, teams have been down early, and that has resulted in nearly 57 percent of the plays from opposing offenses being pass plays. Still, the Trojans give up over 100 yards per game on the ground, which is solid considering how little teams have run against them.
Currently, Purdue has a 50/50 split of pass and run plays. The passing game has been solid, sitting tenth in the nation in passing yards per game and fifth in passing yards per play. Regardless, Purdue must lean on Devin Mockobee, the running back.
The Purdue back was named to the preseason watchlist for the Doak Walker Award, and for good reason. He has already run for 185 yards and three touchdowns this year. He has also run for 2,647 yards and 22 touchdowns in his Purdue career. Mockobee can also be a threat in the receiving game, with 72 career receptions and averaging 9.6 yards per catch.
There will be a temptation for Odom to abandon the running back when Purdue gets down early, but if the Boilermakers have any hope of keeping this game close, Purdue must get the ball in the hands of their top offensive weapon early and often.
