At 3:30 on ABC Purdue (2-3) will play 12th ranked Ohio State (5-1) in the Horseshoe as a 19-point underdog. Ohio State leads the series 36-12-2 and defeated Purdue 23-7 in West Lafayette last year. 1988 was the last time Purdue won in Columbus.

Purdue’s Curtis Painter has already passed for 1,225 yards this season and is 13 yards shy of becoming the fourth Big Ten quarterback to throw for over 10,000 yards in a career. However, Painter played poorly last week and was replaced by Joey Elliott in the 20-6 loss to Penn State. Will Joe Tiller have a quick hook with him this week?

Running back Kory Sheets-Purdue’s all-time leading touchdown scorer-accounts for 85 percent of the Boilermakers’ rushing yards. Receivers Desmond Tardy and Greg Orton have combined for 55 receptions 792 yards and three touchdowns.

Jim Tressel should be ecstatic about this year’s football team. Not because Beanie Wells is healthy, not because Terrelle Pryor is better than expected, but because of the punting game. A.J. Trapassso leads the Big Ten and is 11th in the nation averaging 44.9 yards a punt.

THE VIEW
Statistically Ohio State has the Big Ten’s best pass defense. If the Buckeyes can hold Purdue-the Big Ten’s best passing offense-to 155 passing yards they will send Joe Tiller and his mustache off into the sunset with his 17th straight loss to a ranked opponent.

Ohio State 24, Purdue 14

Random Notes
Ohio State
Leads the Big Ten averaging 13.13 yards a punt return.
Ranked 14th in the nation in pass defense, 155 yards a game.
Eighth in the nation in net punting (40.1)
Ranked 106th in the nation and last in the Big Ten in allowing sacks (2.67 per game).
Last in the Big Ten and 105th in the nation in passing offense.
The defense is ranked 103rd in the nation and last in the Big Ten in tackles for loss (4.5 per game), 27 total.
The defense is holding opponents to 16.2 points per game.
Ranked 18th in total defense, allowing 264.2 yards per game.
Ray Small leads the Big Ten and is 14th in the nation averaging 16.5 yards a punt return.

Purdue
Kory Sheets has scored at least one touchdown in the last eight games.
Since 1998 the only year Purdue did not lose at least two games in a row was 2003.
Curtis Painter is ahead of everyone except for Drew Brees in Purdue’s record book when it comes to passing attempts, completions, yards, offensive plays and total offense.
Ranks last in the Big Ten in rushing offense, rushing defense, pass defense, total defense and net punting.
The Boilermakers are 108th in total defense allowing opponents to gain 435.8 yards a game.
Purdue’s defense allows 196 rushing yards a game, 104th in the nation.
The defense gives up 239.8 yards through the air, 93rd in the nation.
Offensively they gain 117.2 yards a game on the ground, 97th in the nation and last in the Big Ten.

Players
Quarterback
Ohio State- Terrelle Pryor 42/65 (.646), 440 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT

Purdue- Curtis Painter 110/191 (.576), 1,225 yards, 5 TD, 5 INT

Rushing
Ohio State- Beanie Wells 385 yards, 7.9 ypc, 2 TD
Ohio State- Terrelle Pryor 312 yards, 5.0 ypc, 4 TD

Purdue- Kory Sheets 498 yards, 5.4 ypc, 8 TD

Receiving
Ohio State- Brian Hartline 226 yards, 13 rec., 17.4 ypr, 2 TD
Ohio State- Brian Robiskie 213 yards, 22 rec., 9.7 ypr, 4 TD
Ohio State- Ray Small 112 yards, 16 rec., 7.0 ypr, 0 TD

Purdue- Desmond Tardy 393 yards, 25 rec., 15.7 ypr, 2 TD
Purdue- Greg Orton 330 yards, 30 rec., 11.0 ypr, 1 TD

Defense
Ohio State- Marcus Freeman leads the team in sacks (3) and tackles for loss (4.5). Freeman is third on the team with 36 tackles.
Ohio State- James Laurinaitis continues to lead the Buckeyes averaging 9.5 tackles a game for a total of 57.

Purdue- Anthony Heygood is averaging 8.8 tackles per game for a total of 44 tackles.