Kydran Jenkins/Payton Durham (Purdue DE/TE) - DOUBTFUL vs #3 MSU

Purdue will likely be down two key players at positions of extreme importance, from a matchup perspective, against the Spartans on Saturday. Jenkins has been a leader on the DL, extremely disruptive all year and would have been a critical piece in Purdue's attempt to shutdown Kenneth Walker. Granted, IU and Nebraska, teams with far less talent on their DL were able to contain Walker without exposing their secondary.

Secondly, Durham has been a consistent target for O'Connell all season and has had a couple of massive games. To make matters worse, Purdue has very little depth at the TE position as Durham's backup is unlikely to suit up. Last week, we saw Michigan utilize Erick All in the TE position with great success against MSU linebackers and secondary. Now, Purdue has played a couple of games this year without Durham so they shouldn't be caught unprepared to go without him - plus they have a talented WR corps.

Jalen Nailor (Michigan State WR) - DOUBTFUL vs Purdue

Nailor left last week's game vs Michigan and was spotted on the sideline sporting a cast over one of his hands. MSU has been mum this week on the severity of the injury but he appears unlikely to go. Nailor has been part of an explosive 1-2 punch with Jaden Reed. Purdue deploys a very strong secondary and Nailor's absence should make things easier as they can concentrate more on Reed - MSU's other WRs have largely been unproven up to this point.

This should be a chess match between Tucker and Brohm and it is no surprise people (Vegas) are eyeing this as a letdown for the Spartans/are not fully sold on this MSU team that has flirted with losses in 3 games this year. Purdue +3.5 is tasty, but I am not sure I can be rational with this bet after Michigan's meltdown last week vs State.

Deshawn Holt (Maryland LB) - OUT vs Penn State

Holt's absence is only noteworthy because he was the replacement for LB Durrel Nchami. Maryland's LBs have taken a major hit with injuries throughout the season and when you look at position groups across the BIG10, Maryland's WR and LB corps are likely the two most impacted position groups by injury in the entire conference. This inexperienced LB group has led to opponents finding great success on the ground and in the intermediate passing game. I expect Penn State to move the ball with ease and maybe even find their run game!

Jack Tuttle/Michael Penix (Indiana QBs) - OUT @ #7 Michigan

Donaven McCulley will get the nod for the 2nd straight week and while he put up some nice numbers last week @ Maryland (and made some athletic plays with his legs)...that was Maryland. McCulley will be facing a much better defense this week and the game being at night with temperatures in the 30s won't help his cause. Worse for him, Michigan's strength all year has been their ability to generate pressures from their two great DEs and Indiana's OL does not project to be up to the task of slowing them down. Much of McCulley's success last week came on locking onto his first read and blown coverages by Maryland. With a full game of tape on him now, I look for Michigan's D to play downhill all game long and make life miserable for the Indiana O. Wolverines minus the BIG number.