Last week’s games brought a couple of major upsets that may have forever changed USC and Ohio State. Losses in Week 2 are rarely so powerful, but one fired head coach at USC and turmoil in Columbus later, it’s clear there’s a lot on the line in 2021. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish could be next to find this out as Purdue comes to town.
Notre Dame is 2-0 but barely. An injury to quarterback Jack Coan’s finger on his throwing hand has this team in jeopardy of falling short of their own championship hopes.
We have you covered from every angle of this matchup. Let’s dig in.
Purdue Boilermakers vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Week 3 odds
Here is a look at the Week 3 betting odds between Purdue and Notre Dame odds, courtesy DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Notre Dame -7 (-115)
- Over/Under: 58.5 (-105)
- Moneyline: Notre Dame -290, Purdue +230
Purdue at Notre Dame game preview
Here’s a look at the preview between Purdue and Notre Dame for Week 3.
Notre Dame offense vs. Purdue defense
Quarterback Jack Coan has been surprisingly efficient for the Irish offense. He struggled to complete anything beyond 10 yards at Wisconsin but has thus far been a steady playmaker for Notre Dame. Without him, they’d be 0-2.
Coan suffered a dislocated finger against Toledo and led a comeback win against an unsuspecting foe. Coan and receivers Michael Mayer and Kevin Austin have carried this offense on their backs so far; they account for the vast majority of the unit’s production. This must change for the Irish to win bigger this year.
The run game has been disappointing despite having talented tailback Kyren Williams. I’d expect Purdue to sell out to slow the Irish receivers and dare Williams to find his stride despite the offensive line struggling to create lanes this season.
Purdue offense vs Notre Dame defense
Unfortunately, star Purdue rusher Alexander Horvath was lost for the season with a fibula injury last week. The Boilermakers struggled to find consistency on the ground, but Horvath was one of the best Big Ten rushers in 2021. Now it’s all on quarterback Jack Plummer.
The good news is Plummer and his star receivers, David Bell and Payne Durham, have been exquisite. This is one of the premier passing games in the country. This bodes well against a talented Notre Dame secondary that hasn’t been as challenged as they will be this week.
Purdue will push the ball more aggressively than what Notre Dame has seen. The talent matches up well, but if Purdue can create a run game against this bad run-stopping unit, they can actually win this game outright. The Irish have clear weaknesses but must dominate with their strengths in order to avoid a disastrous outing.
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Betting trends for Purdue at Notre Dame
Purdue has covered just twice in their last seven games but have covered four of their last six spreads against the Irish.
Notre Dame has won seven straight against the Boilermakers and 18 of their last 20 overall. However, the Irish have covered only once in their last five games.
CFB betting picks – Purdue at Notre Dame
Notre Dame wins, but has to withstand an excellent passing game to get to the finish line. I just don’t see the Irish being an overall strong team, and Purdue has exceeded expectations to this point. Notre Dame has either played down to their competition twice or they simply aren’t too good.
Best bets: Purdue +7 (-105)