Maryland schedule ranking: No. 8 Purdue

Despite finishing with a lackluster 6-7 record overall, Purdue proved to be a dangerous squad last season, as was evident in the Boilermakers’ 49-20 upset over then-No. 2 Ohio State. That was one of three wins Purdue had against ranked opponents in 2018.

Head coach Jeff Brohm was a hot commodity heading into the offseason, but Purdue decided to ante up with a new seven-year deal in order to keep the momentum Brohm has built over his first two seasons at the helm rolling.

Brohm is now the third-highest paid coach in the Big Ten after inheriting a program that won just nine games combined in the four seasons prior to him arriving and taking the Boilermakers to back-to-back bowl games. Brohm also signed Purdue’s highest ranked recruiting class since 2004 this past offseason, so expectations are as high as they’ve ever been in West Lafayette.

The Boilermakers have experienced a ton of attrition on the offensive side of the ball. Last year’s quarterback David Blough is gone. Three starting linemen must be replaced, along with two starting wideouts and their leading rusher from a year ago.

However, based on the recruiting of Brohm and the talent left on the roster, many believe Purdue’s offense could be even better this year. The main reason for that optimism is sophomore wide receiver Rondale Moore, who took the nation by storm as a freshman last year. Moore burst onto the scene with 114 receptions, 1,258 receiving yards, and 12 receiving touchdowns last year.

Moore added 213 rushing yards and two scores on the ground to his totals. One of the most talented athletes in the Big Ten and a consensus All-American last year, many can’t wait to see what Moore has up his sleeve this season.

Although Blough was solid last season, Moore has a quarterback with an even stronger arm getting him the ball this year. Fifth-year senior Elijah Sindelar has a 6-foot-4 frame and is a pro-style quarterback that can make all the throws. Sindelar’s second-favorite target will likely be senior tight end Brycen Hopkins, son of former NFL offensive lineman Brad Hopkins.

The biggest question marks the Boilermakers have on offense is the offensive line and backfield. Neither units return a ton of experience and there is a lot of competition to be hashed out in fall camp.

Last year, Purdue was trying to make up for a lot of attrition with a patchwork defense, but this year the Boilermakers return virtually everyone on that side of the ball.

Linebacker Markus Bailey is the leader of the defense and decided to return for his senior season after recording 115 tackles last year. He’ll be joined in the linebacking corps by Western Kentucky grad transfer Ben Holt, son of Purdue’s defensive coordinator Nick Holt.

Up front is where Purdue could struggle on defense, however the defensive line gets a big boost from incoming blue-chip freshman George Karlaftis. In the secondary, Navon Mosley is the seasoned vet and four-year starter. The rest of the group is comprised of talented, but young defensive backs like redshirt freshman Corey Trice and true freshmen Jalen Graham and Marvin Grant.

Overall, Purdue’s defense looks like it could take a major leap from last year and return back to its 2017 form when it was a top-25 scoring defense nationally.

Bottom line: Sure, last time these teams met it was a beatdown in favor of the Terps in 2016. Things will not be nearly as easy for Maryland this time around. Brohm has Purdue as a dangerous team on any given week and this is arguably the most talented roster he has had in his time calling plays for the Boilermakers. The Terps must first find a way to slow down Moore, and then from there Maryland’s defense will want to focus on attacking the inexperienced offensive and defensive lines of Purdue.

Series: 2-0, Maryland

Last Maryland win: 2016, 50-7 at Maryland

Last Purdue win: None