Scouting: Purdue @ Notre Dame

When: 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind.

TV: Channel 5; Radio: WLS 890-AM

Series: Notre Dame leads 53-26-2.

Coaches: Danny Hope (5-7, second year at Purdue; 40-29); Brian Kelly (first year at Notre Dame, 171-57-2 overall)

Purdue players to watch: Talented Miami transfer Robert Marve won the QB job at Purdue. He gets to throw to WR Keith Smith, who finished 10th in the country last year with 91 catches for 1,100 yards and 6 TDs. Top RB Ralph Bolden is hurt, so Wheaton Warrenville South grad (and Boilers legacy) Dan Dierking either will start or share the job with Al-Terek McBurse. Naperville Central's Nick Mondek makes his first start at right tackle. DE Ryan Kerrigan (13 sacks) could be an All-American.

Notre Dame: With Jimmy Clausen's 34-start era in the rearview mirror, junior Dayne Crist takes over as Notre Dame's QB with just 20 career throws under his belt. He retains all of Clausen's primary weapons except Golden Tate, which means he can rely on WR Michael Floyd (44 catches, 795 yards, 9 TD), TE Kyle Rudolph (Mackey Award semifinalist) and RB Armando Allen (697 yards, 3 TDs). The defense retains nine starters led by ILB Manti Te'o and senior CB Darrin Walls.

The skinny: It's the first opener between these rivals since 1984, but why not open the Brian Kelly era against your antagonistic neighbor? Kelly, whose outgoing personality enabled him to "win" the offseason since his hiring, led Cincinnati to 33 wins over the last three years with a wide-open, no-huddle style. Crist ought to have a chance to find all of his weapons, unless Purdue pass-rusher Kerrigan teaches Notre Dame's new tackles (sophomore Zack Martin and senior Taylor Deyer) lesson after lesson.