The Nebraska Cornhuskers are looking to bounce back from a narrow loss to Illinois, while Purdue aims to rebound after a tough start to the season, including blowout losses to Notre Dame and Oregon State. Nebraska comes in as the more balanced team, with quarterback Dylan Raiola leading the charge. Raiola has been impressive, completing over 70% of his passes for 967 yards and 8 touchdowns so far this season. His main targets include Isaiah Neyor, who has been a consistent weapon in the passing game with 277 receiving yards and four touchdowns. On the other side, Purdue has relied on quarterback Hudson Card, though his season has been inconsistent with 453 passing yards and 6 touchdowns but also 3 interceptions.

Running back Devin Mockobee has been a bright spot for the Boilermakers, accumulating 276 rushing yards and showing explosive playmaking ability with a long run of 63 yards. However, Purdue’s defense has been a significant concern, as they’ve allowed over 30 points in their last two games. Nebraska’s defense has shown improvement, but they’ve allowed teams to stay close in games. The key matchup to watch will be how Purdue’s offense, particularly Mockobee, fares against Nebraska’s front seven. If Purdue can establish the run early, they might have a chance to keep it competitive. However, Nebraska’s offensive balance and Raiola’s efficiency give them the edge.