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Syracuse, now 2-0 for the first time since 2018, returns home to face Big 10 opponent Purdue. The air-raid offense is working, the run game is as potent as ever, and receivers are going for big-yard catches and breakaway touchdowns. Defensively, Syracuse allowed a combined 21 points to Louisville and UConn.

Purdue enters off of a close loss to Penn State followed by a bludgeoning of Indiana State. Led by quarterback Aidan O’Connell, the Boilermakers look like a tremendous offense of national status through the first two weeks. For the first time since 2004, they’ll face off against Syracuse, looking to flash O’Connell and see if their defense can hold up once again.

Here’s everything you need to know about Purdue (1-1, 0-1 Big 10) prior to its matinee matchup with Syracuse (2-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast):

All-time series

Purdue leads 1-0.

Last time they played

The best thing that happened to the Orange in the opening weekend of 2004 was that running back Walter Reyes moved into fifth place on Syracuse’s all-time rushing list. He only garnered 31 yards on 12 carries during the 51-0 blowout loss. It wasn’t the most powerful start to a season that ended with a 6-6 record and a Champ Sports Bowl berth.

Syracuse kept Purdue quiet for about eight minutes before running back Jerod Void punched in a one-yard touchdown. Then, future NFL quarterback Kyle Orton tossed a 75-yard bomb to Brian Hare, and the Boilermakers never looked back. Then-No. 25 Purdue ended with 571 yards of total offense, including 25 first downs and 334 passing yards between Orton and backup Brandon Kirsch.

The Boilermakers held the Orange to under 100 yards rushing, forced two interceptions and only allowed quarterback Joe Fields a statline of 8-for-15 for 93 yards and no touchdowns. The Orange finished with more time of possession, though, and Kellen Pruitt gathered a team-best eight solo tackles and three tackle assists.

The Boilermakers Report

Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm chose to pass the ball 18 times and run once with 6:27 remaining against Penn State. This left Sean Clifford enough time to throw a game-winning touchdown. Reeling from the 35-31 loss, PU defeated FCS opponent Indiana State 56-0. Despite a combined 87 points through two weeks, the Boilermakers have struggled in the rush game, continuing a trend from last season where they averaged 2.79 yards per carry. They’re led by redshirt freshman Devin Mockobee’s 78 yards on 13 attempts.

But Aiden O’Connell is enough to lead Purdue to one of the top early-season offenses in the country.

“(O’Connell) just doesn’t make mistakes, it’s like playing a coach that can actually throw the football. He’s really, really talented. He’s really, really well-coached, and there’s no doubt he’s one of the top quarterbacks that we’re gonna be playing this year,” head coach Dino Babers said on Monday.

O’Connell has thrown for 576 yards and five touchdowns through the first two contests of his sixth year. According to Babers, O’Connell is better than any quarterback Syracuse has faced this season.

How Syracuse beats Purdue

Syracuse needs to stay ahead on the scoreboard and keep up with the PU offense led by O’Connell. The margin of error is going to be razor thin — no drives ending via penalties like against Louisville, no progress halted by sacks like on the fourth drive against UConn. Garrett Shrader needs to stay in character as Pro Football Focus’s top-rated quarterback.

The “mob” linebackers and secondary established themselves early as a true threat but were hardly tested against UConn, so they’ll need to replicate their lockdown coverage against better receivers. The defensive line got moved around a bit, allowing the Huskies’ Nathan Carter to rush for 71 yards, so the young unit will need to clamp down on a recovering rushing game.

If Syracuse can spread the ball out once again, it won’t need to find a No. 1 receiver, but they will still need to get open much quicker. This’ll be the biggest test thus far for the new offense. Stalling out around the 30-yard line like it did a few times against Louisville likely won’t fly against the Boilermakers.

Megan Thompson | Digital Design Director

Stat to know: 9-for-9 red zone scoring conversion

Syracuse is 10-for-10 when it enters the red zone, but it hasn’t faced a team that’s converted each time it gets within the opponent’s 20-yard line. Additionally, eight of Purdue’s nine chances have ended in six points. Syracuse can pick apart an offense before it gets into the red zone, as evidenced by UConn not crossing midfield until the beginning of the second quarter. But it needs to batten down the hatches, because it’s inevitable that Purdue will get to the red zone multiple times.

The Orange can’t replicate the goal line stand they had against Louisville every time, so the defense will have to show out in short yardage situations against Purdue. If successful, it could save points and could turn short yardage plays elsewhere on the field into fourth downs and turnovers.

Player to watch: Charlie Jones, No. 15, receiver

The sixth-year receiver, who originally played at the University of Buffalo before three seasons with Big 10 West rival Iowa, transferred to Purdue prior to the 2022 season. He’s coming off a season with the Hawkeyes in which he was a first-team All-Big 10 return specialist and . He has been O’Connell’s top target with 286 receiving yards second-team All-Big 10 recipientand four touchdowns this season.

While he’s only returned three kicks for a total of 43 yards thus far, his quick speed off the edge can easily burn Syracuse cornerbacks Alijah Clark, Duce Chestnut or Garrett Williams. The Williams-Jones matchup should be an exciting duel to watch, as Williams is attempting to boost his draft status and Jones just notched 153 yards against Penn State.

Published on September 15, 2022 at 12:59 am

Contact Anthony: aalandt@syr.edu | @anthonyalandt