The Syracuse Orange travel to face the Purdue Boilermakers today, Saturday, September 16 at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana. Live coverage will be part of NBC Sports’ B1G Saturday Night, starting at 7:00 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. Keep reading for how to watch and key storylines for the game.
Syracuse
Syracuse escaped victorious at home against Purdue last year, winning 32-29 in a wild matchup that saw the Boilermakers score with less than a minute to go, and the Orange answer for the win with seven seconds left.
The Orange seemingly have the upper hand after starting the season 2-0 with back-to-back blowout wins against Colgate (65-0) and Western Michigan (48-7), but they could struggle without their starting right tackle David Wohlabaugh Jr. and lead receiving option, tight end Oronde Gadsden II.
Orange head coach Dino Babers confirmed that Wohlabaugh Jr. is done for the season on Thursday night, after the redshirt sophomore sustained an injury to his lower body last Saturday.
Gadsden II’s status is more murky, as Babers has provided no update since the tight end, who caught the game-winning touchdown in this matchup last year, went down early against Western Michigan and returned to the sideline with crutches and a walking boot on his right foot.
On the positive side, Orange senior quarterback Garrett Shrader seems to be rising to the occasion, having thrown for a combined 543 passing yards, six total touchdowns, and one interception through the first two games.
“Shrader’s balling out by the way he’s extending plays and making some bad things look good,” Babers said after Week 2. “There’s no doubt that he’s playing at a high level.”
Although it’s early in the season, Syracuse has the No. 1 scoring defense in the FBS, having allowed just seven points (via a 75-yard touchdown run) over two games. The unit has also notched a pick-six in each of its first two games, meaning it has scored more points (14) than it has given up (7) so far this year. And then there’s the pressure: seven sacks through two games.
Purdue should prove to be a tougher opponent than the first two, but Babers thinks his defensive line is “one of [the team’s] strongest groups.”
Purdue
Purdue is trying to avoid a 1-2 start for the second-consecutive year, but this year, the Boilermakers have home-field advantage and a renewed energy surrounding the program under first-year head coach Ryan Walters.
Walters, who is the youngest head coach in the Big Ten at 37, led his team to its first win last week against Virginia Tech, 24-17. Despite a rocky start against Fresno State, when the Boilermakers lost 39-35, the team seems to be adjusting to offensive coordinator Graham Harrell’s “Air Raid” offense and defensive coordinator Kevin Kane’s “Air Strike” defense.
Texas transfer Hudson Card was a crucial get for Harrell, who prioritized snagging the redshirt junior from the transfer portal as soon as he was hired last December.
“He’s an elite thrower of the football, and then he’s really athletic,” Harrell said of Card’s ability in August. “But what’s been the most encouraging is just how quick he’s picked things up, how quick he processes, the way he sees the game from the standpoint of pre-snap. He’s seeing what you want him to see. He’s making decisions you want him to make. We are lucky to have him.”
Card has thrown for 502 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions so far this season. His top target at the moment is Deion Burks.
On the ground, running back Devin Mockobee will be crucial as the Boilermakers try to keep the Orange defense on its toes. Dating back to last season, Mockobee has rushed for a touchdown in four of his last five games.
How to watch the Syracuse Orange vs. Purdue Boilermakers
- When: Saturday, September 16
- Where: Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET (Pregame coverage begins at 7:00pm ET)
- Watch: NBC, Peacock
How can I watch Big Ten on Peacock?
The Syracuse Orange vs. Purdue Boilermakers game will broadcast on NBC and stream on Peacock. Sign up for Peacock here.
What devices support Peacock?
You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices.
View the full list of supported devices here.
NBC Sports’ Big Ten Football and primetime games announced to date:
| Sat., Sept. 16 | 5:00 p.m. | Washington at Michigan State | Peacock |
| Sat., Sept. 16 | 7:30 p.m. | Syracuse at Purdue | NBC,Peacock |
| Sat., Sept. 23 | 3:30 p.m. | Maryland at Michigan State | NBC,Peacock |
| Sat., Sept. 23 | 7:30 p.m. | Ohio State at Notre Dame | NBC,Peacock |
| Sat., Oct. 14 | 7:30 p.m. | USC at Notre Dame | NBC,Peacock |
| Sat., Nov. 11 | 7:30 p.m. | Michigan State at Ohio State | NBC,Peacock |
| Fri., Nov. 24 | 7:30 p.m. | Penn State at Michigan State (Ford Field) | NBC,Peacock |
The remaining NBC Sports’ Big Ten Football games will be announced during the season.
