Purdue hopes to salvage season by beating Indiana
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - For the Purdue football team, the clock literally is ticking.
Within the Boilermakers' football complex, there is a clock that constantly reminds players how many days, hours, minutes and seconds remain before the annual Old Oaken Bucket game against Indiana, a battle the Hoosiers have won the past two seasons.
Considering Purdue, which hosts this season's rivalry game on Saturday, is only 2-9 overall, 1-6 in the Big Ten, a victory against Indiana (5-6, 1-6) would salvage a portion of what has been a disappointing season and give the program a boost heading into the offseason.
A Boilermaker victory also could deny the Hoosiers their first bowl bid since 2007 and avoid losing to Indiana for a third consecutive season for the first time since 1945-47.
With a 6-29 overall record at Purdue, including 2-21 in the Big Ten, third-year coach Darrell Hazell could certainly use some fan support. A win could help, but the Hoosiers have won the past two meetings - 56-36 in 2013 and 23-16 in 2014 - both times in Bloomington.
"Our guys walk past that clock in our hallway every day - the countdown clock - and now it is down to four days," Hazell said Tuesday. "This is a huge game for our players. We want to make sure we do it the right way and go out in the right fashion. I think this is a gigantic, gigantic game for us."
To beat Indiana, which snapped a six-game losing skid Saturday at Maryland, Purdue likely will have to do it without starting quarterback David Blough. The freshman who started eight consecutive games suffered a concussion in Saturday's 40-20 loss at unbeaten Iowa.
Junior quarterback Austin Appleby, who started this season's first three games, is the probable starter. Appleby, who had not played since a 51-24 loss to Virginia Tech on Sept. 19, completed 23 of 40 passes for 259 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions at Iowa.
Appleby was the Purdue starter in last season's 23-16 loss at Indiana.
Unless Blough is given medical clearance to play no later than Saturday morning, Appleby will get another chance to lead the Boilermakers. He is eager for the opportunity.
"There is absolutely no quit in this team," Appleby said. "There were many times we could have gone in the tank, but we didn't. It really is a shame the way that we work, because we just want it to pay off."
Junior defensive tackle Jake Replogle would love to give Hazell his first victory against Indiana and his first victory in November as the Purdue coach.
"We need to make more plays, be consistent and do our jobs," Replogle said. "The biggest thing is to do our job. We are overdue. We have the talent to do it, and we have the coaches to do it."