Hello from West Lafayette, Indiana, where the sky is gray and the temperature is hovering around the high 60s. Considering rain has been in the forecast all week: we’ll take this.
Nebraska (3-1) is getting set for its first road game of the season at Purdue (1-2). The Huskers are coming off an overtime loss to Illinois last Friday at Memorial Stadium.
The betting line favors Nebraska by roughly nine points, depending on the sportsbook.
Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. central, and the game will be streamed on Peacock.
1:02 p.m. Purdue strikes first. Spencer Porath just drilled a 45-yard field goal. Quite a drive: 13 plays, 55 yards, 8:08. Boilers converted three third downs.
12:54 p.m. Purdue tries a reverse on the opening kickoff of the second half, and it worked pretty well other than the holding penalty. Nebraska punter Brian Buschini with a grown-man tackle right by the Husker sideline, giving a jolt to the visitors.
SECOND QUARTER: NEBRASKA 0, PURDUE 0
12:28 p.m. John Hohl just had a 32-yard field goal blocked. Again, the operation was bad. Either the snap was low again or Brian Buschini’s mishandled it. Will need to see a replay. Either way, it’s 0-0 at halftime. The teams have combined for seven punts, four missed field goals and zero points after 30 minutes of play at Ross-Ade Stadium.
12:25 p.m. Dylan Raiola with a couple of nifty passes, and the Huskers are on the Purdue 25.
12:20 p.m. After the seventh punt of the first half, Nebraska has the ball on its own 25 with 2:39 left in first half.
12:19 p.m. The rain has started. Light sprinkle. Hope that doesn’t slow down the offenses!
12:07 p.m. This game is off the rails. Purdue drew a lengthy touchdown pass, but the officials ruled Boilers QB Hudson Card was past the line of scrimmage when he threw the ball. After “further discussion,” the referees decided Card’s pass was actually legal. So, instead, Purdue got whistled for offensive pass interference, which ultimately forced a punt. Got all that? All you really need to know is it’s NU’s ball on its own 27.
12:01 p.m. Nebraska’s John Hohl just had a 44-yard field goal blocked, and Purdue returned it 21 yards and will take over on its own 47. Snap was bad. By the time Brian Buschini scooped it up and put it down, it was too late.
11:53 a.m. Huskers on the move after two pass interference penalties. NU has it on the Purdue 23.
11:47 a.m. You guessed it. Another punt. Nebraska has strong field position, taking over on its own 43. So far, we’ve had four punts and two missed field goals. Big Ten football!
11:42 a.m. Huskers forced to punt. Purdue takes over on its own 10.
11:38 a.m. Nebraska’s fourth-down conversion is negated by pass interference. Thomas Fidone whistled on a “pick play” that freed up Rahmir Johnson. The play is under review.
FIRST QUARTER: NEBRASKA 0, PURDUE 0
11:31 a.m. End of first quarter. No score. Huskers facing fourth-and-4 at the Purdue 22 after the break. Nebraska outgained Purdue 129-57 in the opening period but have nothing to show for it.
11:25 a.m. James “Sack Man” Williams stops Purdue’s drive with a third-down sack. Purdue’s 29-yard field goal misses. We’re still scoreless, 3:34 left in first quarter.
11:16 a.m. Nebraska’s John Hohl just missed a 42-yard kick wide left. Huskers attempted to go for it on fourth-and-1 and had a designed speed option play with Heinrich Haarberg at QB, but Bryce Benhart was called for a false start.
11:11 a.m. Boilermakers’ first drive of the game goes nowhere, and they punt. Nebraska takes over on its own 35.
11:06 a.m. Nebraska’s drive stalls at the Purdue 34. Three straight incompletions after Jacory Barney’s 31-yard run.
11 a.m. Purdue wins toss, defers. Nebraska’s first play from scrimmage is a Dante Dowdell 3-yard rush.
PREGAMIN’
10:43 a.m. To view the Huskers’ 74-man travel roster, click here.
The Huskers are bringing the energy at Purdue. Watch as Matt Rhule fires up the team with one-one-drills before the game.
10:24 a.m. Matt Rhule is bringing the juice. He’s leading a one-on-one drill on Nebraska’s side of warmups right now. Offense vs. defense. That’s a new addition to NU’s pregame routine.
10:12 a.m. Four Nebraska quarterbacks made the travel roster: Dylan Raiola, Heinrich Haarberg, Daniel Kaelin and Jalyn Gramstad are all going through warmups right now. The binoculars are out in full force in the press box. We will soon have the Huskers’ full 74-man travel roster online.
10:08 a.m. Uniforms: Nebraska in red pants, white jerseys and white helmets. Purdue in black pants, along with black-and-gold striped jerseys and helmets.
9:54 a.m. There are plenty of Nebraska fans here.
9:40 a.m. It’s grey and dreary at Ross-Ade Stadium. Temperature in the high 60s-low 70s. The rain appears to be holding off for now, which is a positive. Wind starting to tick up a little bit.
9:22 a.m. Nebraska inactive players: Tristan Alvano, Rahmir Stewart, Micah Mazzccua, Stefon Thompson, Turner Corcoran. Notably, Javin Wright is not listed on the injury report for the first time this season, and he’s here in West Lafayette. All signs point to the linebacker making his season debut this afternoon.
Luke Mullin and Amie Just have the latest Life in the Red podcast, which has a full preview of Nebraska at Purdue.
Nate Head is the sports editor of the Journal Star. On Twitter @NateHead_LJS.
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