In all reality, this game should just be a tuneup for next weeks defining game against Michigan State for this Notre Dame team. We thumped them pretty badly last year(38-10) and there is no reason that we don’t just have a replay.

No injuries reported so this should be just reload and blow these guys out again. The Irish are helped by a mediocre team coached by the hapless Head Coach Danny Hope. He sports the mustache but is no Joe Tiller. Tiller ran a great offense and made average players look damn good and somehow or other always had a great QB. But that was then and this is now.

• Notre Dame will look to run all over the Boilers, toss in a few passes while giving nothing away to MSU.
• Look for Golson to do a little more passing–just to get used to it as a prep for next week. The ND defense front 7 should have a field day–it’s the secondary that is the only concern, although a big one.
• They can keep Purdue in the game.

So flipping to Purdue, what should they do. Coach Hope, after winning his opening game, against Eastern Kentucky with senior QB Robert Marve going 30 of 38 295 yards and 3 TD’s will start the recently suspended senior QB Caleb TerBush. I think I would ride with the guy with one pretty good game under his belt, but then again I’m not Danny Hope.

Regardless, Purdue’s only chance is to pass pass and then pass some more and attack the weak link in the ND defense. Purdue on defense must try to make Golson pass and get ND in third and long by blitzing often–make Golson win this game with his arm.

Purdue has 2 quality defensive tackles in Kawann Short 6’3″ 315 and Bruce Gaston 6’2″ 303. Look for Short to line up against Golic while at the same time putting pressure on RT Lombard to collapse the right side of ND’s offensive line and get to Golson. That’s what I would do–will it work? Worth a try.

I see Notre Dame just wearing down Purdue on both sides of the ball and cruising to an easy win.

PREDICTION:

Notre Dame 48 Purdue 21