Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Purdue Boilermakers Complete Game Preview

Before the two met last year, Nebraska and Purdue had faced off only once before. That was in 1958. The kicker? The Boilermakers defeated the Huskers 28-0.

The 2013 matchup was much different. Nebraska won 44-7.

Both members of the Big Ten West Division, the two programs will now meet every year. Heading into this year's matchup, the Huskers are 7-1 overall (3-1 in the Big Ten), where as Purdue is 3-5 overall (1-3 in the Big Ten). This is the first time Purdue will play in Memorial Stadium.

Will Nebraska take the victory and break the 1-1 tie between the two programs?

Where: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska

When: Saturday, November 1, at 3:30 p.m. ET

Watch: ABC/ESPN2

Listen: Husker Sports Network or Sirius Channel 138, XM 196

Betting Line via Odds Shark: Nebraska (-23.5)

Nebraska's Keys to Victory

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1. Run the Ball

This is basically a given at this point, but it's one that can't be forgotten. To win, Nebraska needs to run the football.

The only two games Nebraska truly struggled in (McNeese State and Michigan State), senior I-back Ameer Abdullah was significantly limited. That showed in the Huskers' final score. While Nebraska defeated McNeese State, it was clear they knew it was all about stopping the Huskers from running.

As of right now, the Huskers are averaging 6.2 yards per carry. So, why fix what isn't broken?

2. Put Pressure on Austin Appleby

Against Minnesota, quarterback Austin Appleby threw two picks. That has to be intriguing for Nebraska. However, the sophomore can't be taken lightly.

Appleby led a solid charge against Minnesota, nearly beating the Golden Gophers. The Boilermakers ultimately lost 39-38, but Appleby played well (with the exception of the two interceptions).

What's important for Nebraska to note is that Appleby helped Purdue gain 451 total yards against Minnesota. The Blackshirts are going to need to be ready to put pressure on Appleby. If he's put in tough situations, he may make mistakes. It's up to Nebraska to put that pressure on him from the start of the game until the finish.

3. Crowd Noise

There are only two home games left for the Huskers. That means fans need to show up for this. If anything, fan support builds confidence in a team.

It helps that kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. ET, which isn't too early but also not too late. That should give most fans little excuse not to show up.

Plus, there is a major benefit for the Huskers having a crowd of 90,000-plus. For instance, Purdue's home-field capacity is sitting just over 57,000 right now. That's quite a difference, especially since the Boilermakers have never played in Memorial Stadium before.

With that said, the Nebraska defense can use a loud crowd. No matter the opponent, that's beneficial for any team.

Purdue's Keys to Victory

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1. Stop Ameer Abdullah

When it comes to defeating Nebraska, stopping I-back Ameer Abdullah must be at the top of the list. Against Rutgers, Abdullah set a new school record with 341 all-purpose yards. Plus, Abdullah's 1,249 rushing yards rank No. 1 nationally, per the Lafayette Journal & Courier. That makes him a challenge for any future opponent.

Abdullah also is able to make holes for himself even when they aren't available. That's the tricky thing about the Heisman candidate. He's absolutely going to be a challenge for Purdue, but if the Boilermakers want to win, Abdullah must be limited.

As Michigan State (and McNeese State) showed, it can be done. It's just seems unlikely that Abdullah will have another game like those again.

2. Run the Ball

While Nebraska will likely plan to run the ball on Purdue, the Boilermakers should do the same right back at Nebraska. It's definitely Purdue's strength.

As of right now, the Boilermakers are averaging 5.2 yards per carry. With running back Akeem Hunt leading the way, it should absolutely be a part of Purdue's game plan.

Not only do the Boilermakers have Hunt, but they also have Raheem Mostert. Against Minnesota, Mostert rushed for 115 yards and one touchdown on five carries.

Needless to say, Purdue knows what it can do on the ground. Against Nebraska, it's a good game plan to have.

3. Keep the Score Low

Purdue's defense really needs to keep Nebraska from scoring too much. That seems like an obvious statement, but it's important for the Boilermakers. After all, as SportsChatPlace.com pointed out, Purdue has lost 14 of its last 15 games when allowing 28 points or more.

The challenge for Purdue is that Nebraska has scored more than 28 points in seven out of eight games. In fact, the only game in which the Huskers did not score more than 28 points was the loss to Michigan State. That means Purdue is looking to be only the second team in one season to limit the Huskers' overall score.

Can it be done? It seems if the Boilermakers want to win, they'll have to find a way.

Nebraska Players to Watch

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Nate Gerry (DB, Soph.)

There are plenty of Blackshirts worth watching for Nebraska. In fact, players like Trevor Roach and Randy Gregory are typically "must-see" players every week. However, Nate Gerry continues to prove that opposing teams need to prepare for him.

In 2013, Gerry was utilized as a linebacker. This season, he's been moved to defensive back, where he is noticeably more comfortable. Against Rutgers, the defensive back secured his third interception of the season. For Purdue, Austin Appleby is going to have to keep an eye on Gerry when dropping back to pass.

Head coach Bo Pelini believes Gerry is only getting started, too. "He’s only in his first year starting at safety," Pelini said, per Huskers.com. "I foresee him doing some pretty special things before he’s out of here. He’s a really talented guy who has great instincts for the game."

Ameer Abdullah (RB, Sr.)

After Rutgers, I-back Ameer Abdullah's name is firmly back on the Heisman watch list. It's pretty clear why, too.

Against the Scarlet Knights, Abdullah rushed for 225 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries. He's not just a threat on the ground, though. He also had two receptions for 26 yards and two kickoff returns for 90 yards in Nebraska's victory over Rutgers.

Purdue is likely preparing its best to stop Abdullah. However, as the senior proved against Rutgers, sometimes that's just not a possible thing to do.

Tommy Armstrong (QB, Soph.)

Quarterback Tommy Armstrong is still learning, and he shows that from time to time. However, the sophomore is growing, and it's showing on the field.

At this point in the season, he is completing 54.5 percent of his passes. He's also becoming more and more comfortable with his receivers, as he showed against Rutgers. Overall, he has 12 touchdowns for the season.

Most defenses will also look at the fact that Armstrong has six interceptions. It's definitely an area the quarterback needs to keep improving upon, but as of now, Armstrong is growing up on the field. And as Steven M. Sipple noted on Twitter, Kenny Bell believes Armstrong "wants to win" and that "he'll do anything."

Purdue Players to Watch

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Austin Appleby (QB, Soph.)

Nebraska will be quarterback Austin Appleby's fourth career start. Considering that fact, Appleby has been pretty productive for the Boilermakers so far this season.

For example, against Minnesota, the sophomore completed 16 of 26 passes for 153 yards and three touchdowns. He did have two interceptions, which is something Nebraska's defense is likely paying attention to.

During the entire 2014 season, Appleby has 655 yards on 106 attempts. He also has a 60.4 percent completion rate, per ESPN.com. He's absolutely a player worth paying attention to against Nebraska.

Akeem Hunt (RB, Sr.)

Against Minnesota, running back Akeem Hunt was two yards short of hitting 100-yards. However, according to PurdueSports.com, he finished with 122 all-purpose yards. He now has 4,176 career all-purpose yards.

A lot of eyes will be on Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah, but people can't forget about Hunt. Averaging 115.3 yards over his last four games, he's going to put pressure on the Blackshirts.

Running the football is definitely a strength for Purdue, and fans can expect to see a lot of Hunt when Purdue rolls into Lincoln.

What They're Saying

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Head Coach Bo Pelini

On if the team is fresher at this time of year:

"

Well yeah, I think we are. I think if you ask the players, they would tell you yes. I think it’s been a good schedule. I wasn’t sure going in how I was going to like it. And I like it for a lot of different reasons. But yeah, I think we are a little bit fresher.

"

On how much he has shortened practice at this time of year:

"

I don’t know how much the team reps and things have changed. It’s not that much different. But we’ve cut through some of the walk-throughs and things like that, which probably cuts off somewhere in the neighborhood of a half hour a day. Our practices are usually right around 90 minutes.

"

On why he thinks the offense has gotten off to some fast starts this year:

"

I don’t know. I think we’ve executed pretty well. I think Coach (Tim) Beck does a phenomenal job and really the whole offensive coaching staff. Those guys do a really good job. We’re pretty hard to stop when we’re not stopping ourselves. That’s the key. Start doing the things that will reduce the times we get off schedule. Take advantage of our opportunities.

"

On what he thinks about Purdue:

"

I think they’re a well-coached football team who has gotten better. You watch where they were a year ago compared to now and it’s like night and day. Which doesn’t surprise me. (Head Coach) Darrell Hazell is a heckuva coach and they have some really good coaches on that staff. (John) Shoop over there on offense who has been around for a long time is a really good coach. They do a good job defensively. It’s a program that’s on the rise. I think they’re going to continue to get better. You see the good coaching, the kids play very hard. They’re very sound in what they do.

"

On whether he can believe Nebraska is entering the final month of the regular season:

"

Can I believe it? When you’re in my seat, it seems like this regular season has been three years long. But it goes quickly at times. When we walked out there the other day, it seemed like forever since we played a home game. It can go quickly.

"

On Ameer Abdullah's success:

"

I am happy for him. It’s interesting, Ameer is not caught up in all of that stuff right now. But hopefully he’ll finish out this year the way he wants to finish it out individually and team-wise. He’ll be able to look back on this with a lot of pride with the things he’s been able to accomplish. It’s pretty special.

"

On if it bothers him that Abdullah is not in some people's Heisman top five:

"

Does it bug me? Yeah, it does a little bit. I could talk for half an hour on that whole situation and how that goes. That’s not just this year, but year after year. I take that with a little bit of a grain of salt. I mean just watch the film. That’s all you’ve got to do.

"

Quarterback Tommy Armstrong

On playing Purdue:

"

Honestly they are a great team this year. We have to respect that. We have to prepare the right way. They look a lot different from last year. They have some of the same guys, but they play a lot harder. They are a tough team. They have been putting up points on offense and their defense has been doing a great job of stopping certain offenses. We have to put ourselves in the right situation heading into this week.

"

On last year's game at Purdue:

"

I know they threw a lot at me. There were a lot of things that I anticipated seeing, but I didn’t see them at all. I know now that I need to be ready for anything. Last year I was young, so they threw a lot at me and I wasn’t ready. But I have seen a lot of defenses so I am prepared for it, I just have to have a plan for it. Let’s put it this way, it’s like studying for a test and you thought it was a unit one test but it was unit two. So all the stuff you studied was totally different. So that’s pretty much how it was. I studied a bunch of film that they had ran in previous weeks. But they came out with a whole different game plan for our offense. But now that I have seen a bunch of defenses I can prepare.

"

On the rankings:

"

I’ve told our offense and our team, respect is only given when it’s due. We have to keep winning. That’s the only way that we are going to earn respect here in Nebraska.

"

All quotes obtained from the Huskers' weekly press conference, via Huskers.com.

Prediction

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In 2013, Nebraska defeated the Boilermakers 44-7 in West Lafayette. One year later, Purdue is heading to Lincoln, Nebraska to play in Memorial Stadium for the very first time in the program's history.

Can Purdue create a better outcome this year? Nebraska quarterback Tommy Armstrong believes the Boilermakers are a better team this year, which will require the right preparation from Nebraska, per Huskers.com:

"

Honestly they are a great team this year. We have to respect that. We have to prepare the right way. They look a lot different from last year. They have some of the same guys, but they play a lot harder. They are a tough team. They have been putting up points on offense and their defense has been doing a great job of stopping certain offenses. We have to put ourselves in the right situation heading into this week.

"

If Nebraska prepares as Armstrong says they will, it's going to be hard for Purdue to walk into Memorial Stadium and win. It seems likely that the Boilermakers will put up more points this year than last, but it won't be enough.

Expect another big day from I-back Ameer Abdullah, who will likely have more than 200 rushing yards by the end of the game. It should also be another good day for Armstrong to connect with wide receivers Kenny Bell and Jordan Westerkamp.

The Abdullah Heisman campaign will continue and Nebraska's chances at a trip to the Big Ten title game will stay alive after another big win over Purdue.

Prediction: Nebraska 45, Purdue 20

For complete team coverage and everything Huskers, you can follow Erin on Twitter @erinsorensen.