Blue White Illustrated

, , , , 2012 RECORD 6-7 (3-5 Big Ten) SERIES RECORD The Nittany Lions lead, 12-3-1 MOST RECENT MEETING Penn State routed Purdue, 34-9, at Ross-Ade Stadium on Nov. 3, 2012. OFFENSE Finding a quarterback is the Boilermakers' top priority. Caleb TerBush and Robert Marve are both gone, and while senior Rob Henry has seen intermittent action the past three years, he hasn't locked down the starting spot by any means. True freshman Danny Etling enrolled early and got a long look from the new coaching staff in spring practice. It wouldn't be surprising if the Boilers opened the season with Etling under center. DEFENSE Nine starters are back, including last year's leading tackler, junior safety Landon Feichter. The 6-foot, 188-pound Feichter is one of those guys who always seems to be near the ball. He finished with 76 tackles and four interceptions last year. As a team, Purdue was equally opportunistic, tying for first place in the Big Ten with 14 interceptions. But it also gave up 233.9 passing yards per game. Bringing that number down will be a top priority for defensive coordinator Greg Hudson. OUTLOOK The Boilermakers have a new coach in former Ohio State assistant Darrell Hazell. Hazell, who served as head coach at Kent State the past two years, is looking to reinvigorate a Purdue program that went 22-27 in four seasons under Danny Hope. He got quick results at Kent State, guiding the Golden Flashes to an 11-3 record last year. But it's likely that a certain amount of patience will be required at Purdue. There will almost certainly be some growing pains this year, especially if the Boilermakers go with a true freshman at quarterback. – M.H. 2012 RECORD 10-4 (7-2 Big Ten) SERIES RECORD Nebraska leads, 8-7 MOST RECENT MEETING The Cornhuskers defeated Penn State, 32-23, at Memorial Stadium on Nov. 10, 2012. OFFENSE Senior quarterback Taylor Martinez is one of the Big Ten's top playmakers. As a junior, he led the league in pass efficiency while also rushing for 1,019 yards. If there's a knock on Martinez, it's that he's turnover-prone. His 12 interceptions last year led the league, and he's had some ball-security issues as well. But the good certainly outweighs the bad, and with four starting linemen returning and powerhouse junior Ameer Abdullah set to replace Rex Burkhead, the offense should keep humming along. DEFENSE Nebraska's defense cratered at the end of last season, allowing 70 points to Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game and 45 to Georgia in the Capital One Bowl. Only two starters return in the front seven, and that's where the Cornhuskers need to make drastic improvements after giving up an average of 192.5 rushing yards per game a year ago. OUTLOOK The Cornhuskers amassed more yardage than any Big Ten team last year, and they have the talent to maintain their pace. They've also got an advantageous schedule. The nonconference slate features four home games and only one major-conference opponent (UCLA), while the Big Ten schedule begins with Illinois, Purdue and Minnesota. Nebraska could be 8-0 heading into its visit to Michigan on Nov. 9. It could even be undefeated heading into its visit to Penn State on Nov. 23. That would certainly be an interesting development, with memories still fresh of last year's game, in which a controversial call at the goal line proved crucial to the Huskers' win. – M.H. 2012 RECORD 8-6 (5-4 Big Ten) SERIES RECORD Wisconsin leads, 9-7 MOST RECENT MEETING Penn State defeated Wisconsin, 24-21, in overtime on Nov. 24, 2012. OFFENSE Fifth-year senior wide receiver Jared Abbrederis will start the season as Wisconsin's most proven offensive player after averaging 17.1 yards per catch last season. But new head coach Gary Andersen must find someone to get him the ball. Joel Stave and Curt Phillips both saw action in 2012, and they will compete with juco transfer Tanner McEvoy in the preseason for the starter's role. With Montee Ball no longer in Madison, James White and Melvin Gordon will be relied upon to pick up the slack at running back. And although the Badgers' offensive line is normally stout, depth was a concern coming out of spring practice. DEFENSE Wisconsin is implementing a 3-4 defensive scheme, and the front seven has the talent to make a smooth transition, including firstteam All-Big Ten linebacker Chris Borland, who will likely play an inside role in the new defense. But is new defensive coordinator Dave Aranda fixing something that's not broken? Wisconsin will surely want to improve upon its red zone defense from 2012, after allowing points in 93.8 percent of opponents' scoring chances. Otherwise, however, the Badgers were stout, fielding the third-best defense in the Big Ten. OUTLOOK The Badgers qualified for the Big Ten title game a year ago, but that was mainly because Ohio State was ineligible for postseason play. The Buckeyes regain eligibility this fall and will face Wisconsin on Sept. 28. If Andersen is to earn a titlegame berth in his first season at Wisconsin, he'll need a win against the Buckeyes in the Horseshoe. – T.O.

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