Boiler ... something

 Your Purdue Boilermakers welcome Notre Dame to Ross-Ade today for the traditional rivalry game/ritual sacrifice, and maybe we'll find out if they're actually new and improved or if they're still just Purdue. There have been hints so far the former might be true, but ND will be the measuring stick.

The Irish, after all, are undefeated, ranked ranked third in the nation and, except for one "meh" half, have mostly cruised so far. They've also dropped 122 points on the Boilers in their last two meetings.

Two years ago, it was 66-7. Last year, it was 56-30. 

Today?

Well, today, we're looking at a result closer to last year than the year before, by all indications. Which is to say, in three games the Purdues have hinted that they have another of those Quarterback U. quarterbacks (Ryan Browne), and a pretty good running back with a marvelous name (Fame Ijeboi), and more athletes at more positions than they've had in awhile.

Unfortunately, most of them seem to be on the offensive side of the ball. Also unfortunately, they can't seem to shake the inclination to Purdue it up on occasion.

The latter is why the Boilers come to today's tilt 1-2 instead of 2-1, because two weeks ago they flat out gave one away to Wake Forest. Had a six-point lead and Wake backed up fourth-and-15 in the second overtime, only to surrender the first down because they unaccountably chose to play a soft cover instead of bringing the kind of pressure that had put the Demon Deacons in fourth-and-15 to begin with.

Two plays later, Wake scored. Then the Deacons made the two-point conversion for the walk-off win.

So instead of 2-0, the Boilers were 1-1 heading out to the Rose Bowl last week to take on UCLA. But, hey, look at this: They put up 38 points and 488 total yards against the Bruins, with Browne looking very Quarterback U-ish: 19-of-30 passing, 378 yards and three touchdowns. Ijeboi added two more sixes on the ground.

However ...

However, UCLA scored 56 points. Piled up 645 yards. Rushed for 369 yards and averaged a yawning 7.7 yards per carry. Hogged the football for a shade over 36 minutes to just under 24 minutes for Purdue.

Most disturbing part of that: UCLA was flagged 12 times for 103 yards in penalties. Which makes you wonder how many points the Bruins could have scored had they not been quite so sloppy.

It also pretty much erases the notion that the Boilers could pull off the shocking upset today, as they famously have on several occasions in this ancient series. 

 No, sir. I'm thinking 56-30, Notre Dame, gets it about right. 

In which case, "Boiler up" will continue to be "Boiler ... something."