The Week 14 Preview: Indiana Hoosiers vs. Purdue Boilermakers

Last Week's Recap: As expected, Ohio State held serve at home and locked up a spot in Indy with a 42-14 win over the Hoosiers. While it is disappointing that the bowl dream is officially over, at least points were scored and some defense was played against the Buckeyes.

Game Info: The 116th game between Indiana and Purdue, and the 89th battle for the Bucket, kicks off at 3:30pm Saturday in Bloomington. BTN will have the broadcast, with Josh Lewin, Derek Rackley, and Eric Crouch having the call.

Series History: Purdue leads the rivalry 72-37-6, the Bucket games 58-27-3, and is 34-16-1 in Bloomington. Indiana's last Bucket win came in the only overtime game in series history, 2010, a 34-31 win in West Lafayette. The Hoosiers' last home win came in 2007 on an Austin Starr field goal with less than a minute left to win 27-24.

Indiana Notes: It is Senior Day for the Hoosiers, who will say goodbye to 21 players (LB Jacarri Alexander, OL Pete Bachman, TE Ted Bolser, LB Griffen Dahlstrom, OL Cody Evers, K Mitch Ewald, S Greg Heban, DT Leneil Himes, LB Chase Hoobler, RB Stephen Houston, WR Kofi Hughes, OL Bill Ivan, LB Jake Michalek, S Justin Nowak, TE Paul Phillips, CB Ryan Thompson, RB Nick Turner, CB Tregg Waters, WR Duwyce Wilson, FB Matt Zakrzewski and S Jake Zupancic. The Hoosiers are 8 points away from setting a school record for points in one season. The Hoosiers are seeking to even their record in the Bucket game this decade at 2-2; only the 1900s (4-2-1), 1940s (7-3), and 1990s (5-5) have produced .500 or better records against Purdue.

Purdue Notes, courtesy of OTE's own babaoreally: This won't be as long and detailed as the IU note, because I just don't think it is necessary. Purdue is awful in almost all aspects of the game (good at punting, decent at returning kicks). This season has been an absolute disaster and it will be cemented as one of the worst seasons by any B1G team in history. Last week Purdue lost to a pitiful Illinois team despite getting four turnovers. I keep telling myself that this nightmare season will actually end; unless some sort of apocalypse happens we're only a few days away from the sweet release of death (of the 2013 Boilermaker football season).

Predictions: [CfB] IU's clearly superior offense will march all up and down the field on the Boiles, led by future Heisman candidates Nate Sudfeld and Tre Roberson. Though I may be underselling us slightly by predicting this as a final score, when it could just as easily be the halftime score, I'm calling Hoosiers 35, Purduer 17. (Why yes, I have been waiting all year to do that, why do you ask?)

[babaoreally] I will be very relieved when this is over on Saturday. I have never felt as if Purdue wasn't as at least 50% to win a bucket game before; this game it is more like an 8% chance. Really it probably should be 4%, but it's a rivalry game so maybe there'll be some extra incentive for Purdue. It doesn't matter how awful IU's defense is, Purdue can't score. Unless the Hoosiers just start constantly fumbling the ball in their own end zone and letting Purdue pick it up, this will be ugly. Indiana will easily defend their precious rock. Indiana 48, Purdue 17.