FACTS & STATS: Site: Ryan Field (49,256) -- Evanston, Illinois. Television:ESPN2. Home Record: Purdue 2-2, Northwestern 3-1. Away Record: Purdue 0-2, Northwestern 2-0. Neutral Record: Purdue 0-0, Northwestern 0-0. Conference Record: Purdue 0-2, Northwestern 1-1. Series Record: Purdue leads, 49-25-1.

GAME NOTES: The Purdue Boilermakers travel to Evanston this weekend in search of their first Big Ten win, but standing in their way is a Northwestern club that is coming off its first loss of the year. The Boilermakers are certainly off to a slow start and enter the game with just a 2-4 overall mark. The team was in action this past weekend, when it suffered a 16-3 setback at nationally-ranked Ohio State. It was the third loss in a row by Purdue, which was downed by nationally-ranked Penn State (20-6) in its only other league bout. As for Northwestern, it opened the season with five straight wins for the first time since 1962 and was on the verge of entering the Top 25. That was until last weekend, when the Wildcats were stopped by nationally-ranked Michigan State 37-20. It was the first home loss in four outings at Ryan Field this season, as the team dipped to 1-1 within the league. With respect to the all-time series, Purdue holds a 49-25-1 advantage over Northwestern and it has won the last two meetings as well.

The Boilermakers have scored a total of just nine points over their last two outings and that certainly isn't going to get the job done. For the season, Purdue is producing a less than impressive 21.7 ppg behind 109.3 rushing ypg and 249.8 passing ypg. In a loss to Ohio State last weekend, the Boilermakers managed just 298 total yards and turned the ball over twice in the 16-3 setback. Quarterback Curtis Painter didn't have his best game, as he completed just 23-of-51 tosses for 228 yards and a pick. With that effort, however, he did become just the fourth Big Ten quarterback to surpass 10,000 passing yards for his career. Painter though, isn't having the type of success many expected from him this season and he has thrown for just five touchdowns against six picks thus far. Greg Orton and Desmond Tardy have been his primary weapons through the air and they have combined for 66 catches, 851 yards and three touchdowns. Last weekend, Orton logged six receptions for 73 yards, while Tardy made five catches for 55 yards. In the backfield, Kory Sheet has quietly gone about his business and has had good success in rushing for 565 yards and eight scores on the year. He also has good hands, ranking third on the team with 21 catches. Sheets though, wasn't much of a factor versus Ohio State, rushing for just 67 yards on 20 carries.

Defensively, Purdue has made some strides over the last couple of games, but overall the unit is still giving up way too many yards (400.2 total ypg). The Boilermakers have struggled against the run (184.2 ypg) as well as the pass (216.0 ypg) and hasn't made many big plays either, forcing just six turnovers. On a positive note, the defense is coming off a stout effort in which it limited Ohio State's offense to just 222 total yards and no touchdowns. The unit allowed only 97 yards through the air and recorded three sacks, but failed to force a turnover and that helped Ohio State boot four field goals. Anthony Heygood led the Boilermakers in the loss with 12 stops, while Ryan Kerrigan notched a pair of sacks. For the year, Heygood leads the squad with 56 tackles and Kerrigan paces the team with three sacks.

The Wildcats haven't exactly lit up the scoreboard this season, averaging a modest 24.2 ppg, but they have been able to move the ball, gaining 153.8 ypg on the ground and 225.2 ypg through the air. Last weekend, Northwestern rolled up 459 total yards of offense, including 176 rushing, but its three turnovers proved costly in a 37-20 loss to Michigan State. Tyrell Sutton paced the Wildcats in defeat by rushing for 139 yards and catching six passes for 44 more yards. It was another sound effort by Sutton, who has rushed for 603 yards and five scores on the season. The versatile Sutton is also a threat in the passing game, pulling down 24 passes for 200 yards and touchdown. Quarterback C.J. Bacher is another player that can be effective in a variety of ways. The dual threat signal-caller has thrown for 1,325 yards and seven touchdowns, while also rushing for 139 yards and another score. Bacher however, has had some issues avoiding mistakes and has thrown eight picks already. Last weekend, Bacher was intercepted twice while throwing for 283 yards and a touchdown on 34-of-61 tosses. He added 32 yards and a score on the ground in the setback as well.

Northwestern has been surprisingly solid on the defensive side of things this year and it is giving up just 16.5 ppg and 316.0 total ypg. The defense is permitting opposing clubs to run for just 114.3 ypg, while forcing 11 turnovers and recording an impressive 19 sacks thus far. Last weekend, the Wildcats gave up a season-high 37 points to Michigan State, but it wasn't all the defense's fault. The defense was put in some bad spots following turnovers by the offense and the lofty point total overshadowed a performance that saw Northwestern limit Michigan State to just 297 total yards. Brad Phillips had 14 tackles in the setback and he continues to lead the team with 52 stops for the year.

Purdue is in a major slump right now and things aren't about to get any easier. Northwestern has been solid all-around this year and its balanced offense and stingy defense are the reasons it should prevail in this one.