Indiana football can compete with rivals, Purdue in Week 12

Indiana football will finish off the 2022 regular season with a home matchup against their biggest rivals, the Purdue Boilermakers, on November 26th. The Hoosiers have lost three of the last four matchups against the Boilermakers, last winning in double overtime, 44-41, in 2019. Indiana football has won three of the last four games in Bloomington against Purdue.

We take a preview of Indiana football facing in-state rivals, Purdue Boilermakers, in the final regular season week of the season, Week 12:

Opponent: Purdue Boilermakers
Date/Time: Saturday, November 26th at TBD
TV: TBD
Location: Memorial Stadium – Bloomington, Indiana
All-time Head-to-Head Record: 42-69-6 (.385)

Offensive Key Player(s)

Aidan O’Connell – #16 – QB

Aidan O’Connell earned himself second team All-Big Ten honors last season after putting up big numbers; 3,712 passing yards (third most in Big Ten); 71.6 completion percentage (second best in Big Ten); and 28 passing touchdowns (second most in Big Ten). Though he threw for tied for the most interceptions (11) in the Big Ten, O’Connell showed why he was the standout for the Boilermakers in 2021.

Against Indiana football in 2021, O’Connell registered 26-for-31 passes (83.9 percent), 278 passing yards, and four passing touchdowns, with a passer rating of 201.8. O’Connell can light up the scoreboard at times and look like the best quarterback in college football, but look for mistakes to capitalize on in Week 12 for the Hoosiers.

Payne Durham – #87 – TE

In 10 games in 2021, Payne Durham recorded 45 receptions for 467 yards and six touchdowns for Purdue, becoming one of O’Connell’s favorite targets. For the upcoming season, O’Connell lost his go-to-guy in David Bell, so Durham will need to fill a void for the Boilermakers.

As a redshirt senior, Durham has not caught a pass or made any impact in games against the Hoosiers, but expect different things in 2022. As stated earlier, Durham will be the primary target for one of the top quarterbacks in the Big Ten.

Defensive Key Player(s)

Kieren Douglas – #43 – LB

With the top two tackle leaders for the Boilermakers now gone from 2021 (Jaylan Alexander and Marvin Grant), Douglas is now the head of Purdue’s defense and looks to take a larger role and make more of an impact on an every-down basis for 2022. The sixth year linebacker finished 2021 with 67 total tackles (third most on team) and 3.0 tackles for loss. The Boilermakers had one of the worst defenses in college football last season and are hoping to turn things around in 2022.

Overall Outlook

To finish out the 2022 season, watch for Indiana football to really compete in their final home game of the season against the Boilermakers in late November. Will the Hoosiers be fighting for a potential bowl game bid? Can Indiana football rebound from its horrid Big Ten season last season? These will be the biggest questions leading into the final week of the 2022 regular season against Purdue.