Notre Dame travels to Purdue on Saturday night in pursuit of a victory that would give the Fighting Irish a winning record for the first time this season. The 2-1 Boilermakers are led by Coach Danny Hope and are coming off an early season bye week following two wins against non-BCS opponents and a road loss to Rice. The Irish have won 20 of the last 25 games and hold an overall 54-26-2 lead in this rivalry that dates back to 1896. The game will be televised nationally by ESPN starting at 8:00 PM EDT.

Both head coaches are in their second season and still searching for stability at the quarterback position. Sophomore Tommy Rees holds the job right now for Notre Dame after taking the reins from Dayne Crist in the season opener. Rees has shown flashes of brilliance and true grit, but has turned the ball over with alarming frequency. Caleb TerBush has started every game for Purdue this season, but Robert Marve has sufficiently recovered from a preseason knee injury to push him for playing time. Both are expected to see action on Saturday.

The Boilermakers prefer to run the ball and will have to be successful in this area to have a chance against a strong Notre Dame rush defense. They have gained over 250 yards per game to date against marginal competition, but the speedy one-two punch of Ralph Bolden and Akeem Shavers presents a very real challenge to the Irish. TerBush is also a threat as a runner while Marve is less likely to venture out of the pocket.

Coach Brian Kelly would like nothing better than to see Notre Dame start the month of October with an error-free football game after suffering 15 turnovers in four September contests. The Irish cannot achieve success commensurate with their talent level until these mistakes are eliminated. Purdue has committed only three turnovers in as many games, but the Boilermaker defense has recorded just two interceptions and forced only one fumble.

Notre Dame’s Offense vs. Purdue’s Defense

When asked about the strengths of his defense, Hope singled out his defensive tackles and linebacking corps. Purdue has a strong nucleus against the run with Kawaan Short and Bruce Gaston in the middle of the four-man line. They are flanked by a pair of Texans in ends Gerald Gooden, a veteran, and newcomer Ryan Russell, who shares time with pass rushing specialist Robert Maci.

Senior Joe Holland is the best player on the defense and the team’s leading tackler. He leads a smallish trio of linebackers that relies on quickness rather than size. The Boilermakers had to replace all four starters in the secondary last year, and the group returns intact this season with experience under its belt. Cornerback Ricardo Allen emerged as a quality player with two interception returns for touchdown as a freshman in 2010. He and running mate Josh Johnson will have to cover Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd, who was held in check at Pittsburgh last week.

Purdue does not necessarily match up well against Notre Dame from a physical standpoint, so Hope is likely to employ a variety of run blitzes and pass coverages to lure Kelly and Rees into poor decisions. This strategy worked well for Pitt last week, and the Boilermakers have used the extra week of practice to refine their game plan. Hope acknowledged the benefit of the bye week, saying, “When it’s all said and done, we’ll have practiced and prepared twice as much for the game.”

Notwithstanding the elements of strategy and deception, Notre Dame’s athletes should be able to get open against Purdue in the passing game. It falls to Rees to get the ball where it is supposed to go and in a timely manner. The Irish should be able to protect the quarterback quite well, and the game will be a good measuring stick for Rees’ development. Continued mistakes, failure to see open receivers and turnovers against this group will obviously not be a good sign, and could very well generate a second chance for Crist. Conversely, Rees could have a big game if he is ready to turn the page on an inconsistent September.

Purdue’s Offense vs. Notre Dame’s Defense

The Irish have played very well in defending the run, and figure to have an advantage up front against a very average Purdue offensive line. Senior left tackle Dennis Kelly is the best and most experienced of the group. The Boilermakers are more accomplished in the running game but will have their hands full with Notre Dame’s Lynch Mob of pass rushers. Purdue will stick with the ground game as long as possible in hopes of springing Bolton or Shavers for big gains.

Marve is the more accomplished passer when healthy, but the Boilers may have to stick with TerBush for his mobility. Justin Siller is the team’s leading target in the short passing game, and Hope deploys three fast receivers from Florida in Gary Bush, O.J. Ross, and Antavian Edison to stretch the defense. Regarding his plan to use both quarterbacks on Saturday, Hope offered a bit of coach speak, stating “Well, we’ll make a decision as far as we might rotate them on Saturday, but obviously Caleb TerBush is our No. 1 quarterback and Robert Marve is No. 2, they are both doing very well.”

The Boilermakers do not want to throw the ball 40 times in this game. Their passing attack is still a work in progress, but Notre Dame remains vulnerable to the big play if its defensive backs cannot find the ball in the air. Purdue has sufficient speed to compete if its line can hold up against the Irish front, while Hope will try both quarterbacks in an effort to find one with a hot hand.

The Irish have held opposing tailbacks in check this season and will be called upon again to stop Purdue’s explosive tandem. Pitt’s highly regarded Ray Graham managed only one long gain immediately after a sudden change of possession, but otherwise had no room to maneuver. A similar effort this week will tilt the odds heavily toward Notre Dame.

Special Teams

Purdue has a weapon in strong-legged kicker Carson Wiggs, for whom a 50-yard attempt will hardly break a sweat. He and Cody Webster have averaged 46.5 yards per punt, so this area is obviously another strong point.  O.J. Ross handles the kickoff returns while Waynelle Gravesande is an experienced and effective punt returner.

Notre Dame continued to struggle last week in this facet of the game. David Ruffer missed an easy field goal due to a bad snap and the inability of the holder to recover it effectively. A roughing penalty deep in enemy territory kept alive Pitt’s only touchdown drive against the Irish defense, and the return game remains unimpressive. Failure to address these issues is bound to hurt the team at some point during the remaining weeks.

Summary

Purdue is certainly no better than any of the four teams Notre Dame has played to date. The quarterbacks, offensive line and secondary are areas that Hope has tried to shore up during the extra week of practice, and he will be able to utilize the added motivation of hosting the Irish. When asked about the progress made by his offense this season, Hope could only offer this gem: “I think we’ll continue getting better if we improve.”

By the same token, fans have been waiting for Notre Dame to play a complete ballgame in all three phases. Things could very well come together this week, since Purdue is not the equal of Michigan State and the Irish handled the Spartans with relative ease despite a few miscues. The Irish need to avoid another setback in the two remaining games before their own bye week, as Kelly was able to right a leaky ship last year under more dire circumstances. For better or worse, the success the offense in particular and the team as a whole is tied to the decision making by Rees and his ability to distribute the ball.

Here are a few key questions that will weigh into the outcome:

Will one of the quarterbacks for the Boilermakers rise to the occasion?

Can the Irish defensive line continue its dominance over an opponent’s running game?

Will Notre Dame’s secondary make the appropriate adjustments to the ball in the air?

Will Rees have the time and poise to pick apart the Purdue secondary?

Can the Irish special teams finally get their act together?

Will the extra week of preparation make a difference for the Boilermakers?

Will Notre Dame avoid its disturbing tendency to play at the level of a lesser opponent?

Prediction

The Boilermakers will be energized at the start and prepared to make things difficult for Notre Dame. Over the course of the game, however, the physical superiority of the Irish will become evident and the visitors should take control. If mistakes and turnovers continue to plague Rees and Notre Dame, Purdue could make this another nail-biter, but it’s time for the Irish to stop shooting themselves in the foot and put away the teams they should.

NOTRE DAME 28 PURDUE 13