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Wake Forest at Purdue football preview
- Purdue RB Fame Ijeboi opened with 87 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries against Indiana State. The preview cites PFF's 65 yards after contact and 10 forced missed tackles, arguing that the rushing result relied heavily on his individual work after early contact. That is the writer's concern about blocking sustainability against Wake Forest, not a reported lineup change.
- The Purdue preview describes mobile QB Elijah Owens finding passing lanes against its defense before better blitz angles and pressure disrupted Indiana State in the third quarter. It says explosive completions returned when pressure faded, even with Purdue's starters still playing. Containing a mobile passer and generating pressure are identified concerns against Wake Forest.
- Purdue WR Asaad Waseem produced six catches for 107 yards and a touchdown in the opener. Slot receiver Xavier Townsend was another frequent Ryan Browne target, while the preview reports limited work for bigger receivers Chauncey Magwood and Bisi Owens. This describes the opening-game distribution, not an announced depth-chart change.
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Five things I would like to see from Purdue in Saturday's home game versus Wake Forest
- Purdue left tackle Joey Tanona missed the opener after an ankle injury late in fall camp; this preview leaves his return unresolved and says Barry Odom has avoided injury details. Nuku Mafi started at left tackle, with Brock Brownfield at left guard, Boaz Stanley at center, Micah Banuelos at right guard and Jude McCoskey at right tackle. A Tanona-driven lineup change is conditional, not announced.
- Purdue QB Ryan Browne completed 23-of-29 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns against Indiana State, finding Chauncey Magwood, Tra'Mar Harris and Asaad Waseem for scores. The writer links that efficient opener to encouraging spring/fall-camp reports but treats Wake Forest as the first Power Four test of whether it carries over.
- The writer identifies Fame Ijeboi as Purdue's leading back after 87 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, plus two catches for 30 yards. Travis Terrell Jr. also had 11 carries; Jerrick Gibson and Antonio Harris had six apiece. Purdue's team rushing line was 177 yards on 40 attempts, so Ijeboi's production exceeded the rest of the opening rotation.
- Purdue had nine penalties for 85 yards. A Jaylan Hornsby hold erased Ijeboi's 63-yard touchdown run, and consecutive red-zone false starts by Banuelos and Stanley contributed to settling for a short field goal. The article reports Odom's frustration after the game and at Monday's presser; these were concrete drive-finishing problems, not just a generic discipline concern.
- Purdue's defense produced eight tackles for loss, three sacks and Don Saunders' 35-yard interception-return touchdown against Indiana State. The writer describes greater second-half aggression under new DC Kevin Kane and contrasts it with only five takeaways in all of 2025. That opener supports an improvement watch, not a confirmed season-long turnover rate.
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GoldandBlack.com Purdue projected depth chart: Week Two
- Purdue's projected-depth-chart analysis praised Browne's arm strength but identified slower recognition of open receivers as a remaining issue, while a drop-free opener featured six Waseem catches for 107 yards and a team-leading seven receptions from Townsend.
- Purdue's Ijeboi averaged 7.9 yards per carry against Indiana State with a separate 63-yard touchdown run nullified, while the analyst questioned repeated inside runs for Terrell and recommended getting him into space, not a staff-confirmed adjustment for Wake Forest.
- Purdue offensive lineman Tanona missed the opener while recovering from an ankle injury, and the writer's suggestion of a Saturday return was speculative rather than a clearance report, with the line's failure to dominate an FCS defensive front adding uncertainty before Wake Forest.
- Purdue pressured seven of Indiana State's 23 dropbacks, but the report credited the defensive ends with only Smith's half-sack and no hurries, contrasting limited edge disruption with a more favorable assessment of tackles Neal and Jeffries and interior depth.
- Purdue's analyst identified linebacker coverage and movement in space as vulnerabilities and reported poor safety grades, despite Saunders' pick-six and team-best PFF defensive grade, with defensive backs accounting for six of the top eight tacklers and three of seven missed tackles.
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Outgoing Transfer Tracker: How former Purdue players fared with new teams - Week 1
- Pick/market: BoilerSportsReport.com takes a look at the outgoing transfers for the Purdue Boilermakers this past offseason and how they are performing at their new schools during the 2026 season.
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Pulse Check
- QB/OL: This is part of the great thing about watching a team/program develop; what you see in week 1 (or 2) may not be what you see in the last few weeks of the season.
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Chicago Review Center
- QB/OL: Not just a magical secret clock but the assumption that the camera and clock are aligned.
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TKR Trial
- OL/LB: The days of kids wanting to play for the love of the game and good ol State U are long gone.
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Purdue kicks off season with 44-19 win over Indiana State
- Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne went 23-of-29 for 317 yards and three touchdowns in the 44-19 win over Indiana State.
- Purdue left tackle Joey Tanona did not start or play after being injured late in fall camp, leaving Nuku Mafi, Brock Brownfield, Boaz Stanley, Micah Banuelos, and Jude McCoskey as the starting offensive line.
- Minnesota transfer Fame Ijeboi looked like Purdue's main running back option with 87 yards on 11 carries and two catches for 30 yards.
- Florida Atlantic transfer Asaad Waseem gave Purdue a big-play passing target with six catches for 107 yards and an 18-yard touchdown.
- Purdue's defense generated eight tackles for loss and three sacks and showed a more aggressive approach after halftime.
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Ryan Browne, Don Saunders, Asaad Waseem postgame
- Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne said the Boilermakers needed to execute and play faster after halftime in the 44-19 win over Indiana State.
- Browne said Purdue needs to start faster, avoid beating itself, and correct penalty issues after failing to meet its goal of fewer than 20 penalty yards.
- Browne praised Purdue's running backs and offensive line, saying the backs have different styles that can create different plays.
- Purdue cornerback Don Saunders said the defense did not start as fast as desired but showed in the second half that consecutive three-and-outs are within its capability.
- Purdue wide receiver Asaad Waseem credited Browne for putting passes on the money in the opener.
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Purdue/ISU: First Quarter notes
- Pick/market: Purdue on offense - Starting OL: LT Nuku Mafi, LG Brock Brownfield, C Boaz Stanley, RG Micah Banuelos, RT Jude McCoskey (no LT Joey Tanona for this game) - Bad throw from Browne on...
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Purdue kicks off season with 44-19 win over Indiana State
- Injury: Purdue opened their 2026 season on Friday night in dominating fashion, defeating Indiana State 44-19.
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Ryan Browne, Don Saunders, Asaad Waseem postgame
- Pick/market: Summaring what Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne, cornerback Don Saunders, and wide receiver Asaad Waseem said after the Boilermaker's 44-19 win against Indiana State on Friday night.
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