Nebraska vs Purdue: By The Numbers

There doesn't seem to be a lot of interest in this game, especially considering these are two teams that haven't played in over 50 years but whom are now part of the same conference and will be in the same division (West) when the Big Ten adds Maryland and Rutgers.

That's another way of saying that both sides should be spending some time getting to know each other. That doesn't seem to be the case.

Here are your important numbers to know about the 2013 version of Nebraska football vs Purdue. You can use these in quotes at a tailgate this weekend and make yourself sound very impressive, as if you know all about this game, history, and completely useless facts such as Purdue's overall win record and Bob Griese's career total passing yardage.

0 - total points Nebraska has ever scored against Purdue in football.

1 - Number of times the two teams have played, ever, in the history of college football, as in ever in history. They never played in 4,000 B.C. and the game they didn't play then didn't get lost in history.

1 - Nebraska's rank in sacks given up this season. The Huskers have given up only two sacks this season, despite 131 passing attempts.

1 - Purdue player who shows up in the Top 100 National rankings for passing, receiving, rushing, and all-purpose yards. It's Rob Henry, and he doesn't even play offense anymore. He switched to safety after true freshman Danny Etling was named starting quarterback.

2 - Years that Purdue head coach Darrell Hazell had been a head coach before becoming head coach at Purdue. Hazel was coach at Kent State for two years, earning 2012 MAC Coach of the Year, leading the Golden Flashes to a 11-3 record and their first bowl game in 40 years. We've done some research on the experience it takes to become a national championship head coach - Hazell has 27 total years of coaching experience at the collegiate level.

4 - Teams in the Big Ten that Purdue has winning series against in football. Here are the all-time records for Purdue against their Big Ten counterparts:

Illinois - 39-42-6
Indiana - 70-37-6
Iowa - 46-34-3
Michigan - 14-43
Michigan State - 27-33-3
Nebraska 1-0
Northwestern - 50-27-1
Ohio State - 14-39-2
Penn State - 3-12-1
Wisconsin - 29-43-8

After Saturday that number damned well had better have dropped to three.

5 - Purdue has had five different opening game quarterbacks in the last six years, and none who have started the opener in back-to-back seasons during that span. I know it seems like we've had only one in Taylor Martinez, but we've had Martinez, Tommy Armstrong Jr, and before Martinez there was some other guys.... it's so long ago.... I forget. Were there dinosaurs then?

6 - dollars, the price for which you can buy a ticket to this game through Ticket Now, SBNation's Ticket partner. I expect the stadium to be packed with Husker fans if for no other reason that they can relate to their grandchildren someday that they attended a Nebraska game for the price of $6. Or $3 if they buy from Stubhub.

6 - Ameer Abdullah's national rank in long rushing plays, which are plays over 10+ yards. Abdullah has had 20 of those. If you move to 20+ yards, he's fifth in the nation, tied with Melvin Gordon of Wisconsin with eight.

9 - Ameer Abdullah's national rank with 138 yards rushing per game. He's just behind Melvin Gordon of Wisconsin at 139.60 in the Big Ten.

9 - Nebraska's national ranking in rush offense at 291.6 yards per game. Purdue is at 117th with 87 yards per game.

18 - The Huskers' national ranking in turnover margin. Nebraska is +5 on the season. Purdue is 105th and -4.

19 - Nebraska's national ranking in total offense with 501.2 yards per game. That's one spot ahead of Ohio State, who has 492.8 yards per game and 10 spots below Indiana with 535.

23 - The Huskers national ranking in third down conversions. Nebraska has converted 49.23 percent of their third downs. This ranks second in the Big Ten behind Michigan with 53.73%. Purdue is 110th nationally and 11th in the Big Ten with 30.26%.

24 - Points Purdue has allowed in the first quarter all season.

28 - points Purdue has scored against Nebraska, meaning that in order to make up for it (REVENGE? YES! REVENGE!), Nebraska has to beat the spread+28 or the whole thing will be a meaningless failure and we will have to destroy them worse in the future.

30 - approximate number of minutes of playing time that Purdue starting freshman quarterback Danny Etling has had in college football.

55 - The number of years that it's been since Nebraska played Purdue. That's longer than Nebraska's sell out streak, which started in 1962. Hell, that's even older than me. That is a long time ago.

60 - The degree in grade at which I estimate the uphill climb Purdue Darrell Hazell faces in trying to build a successful program at Purdue.

116 - Nebraska's national ranking in opponent long scrimmage plays. The defense has now given up 96 plays of 10+ yards with 63 of those being pass plays, and 29 plays of 20+ yards, 20 being pass plays. That's better than it was after South Dakota State, when the Huskers were ranked 124th, one spot from last place.

183 - The total number of points Purdue has scored this season in five games, averaging 17 points per game. They've been outscored 183-85. That ranks them 113th nationally and last in the Big Ten. They have 10 total touchdowns. Ameer Abdullah and Imani Cross have combined for 11 by themselves. Kenny Bell, Quincy Enunway, and Jamal Turner have combined for 10 touchdowns as well.

200 - Number of seats estimated (probably poorly since I just looked and guessed) that are not filled by the student section in the photo from this week's "ANGRY" article. Hey, maybe it's 300. Maybe a little more, but isn't it wild that 200 or 300 seats being empty can bring out such a response from people when there are around 90,000 fans in stadium?

241 - yards that Etling threw for in his 30 minutes of college football. Etling was 19-39 for 241 yards and two touchdowns against Northern Illinois. Purdue got trounced 55-24, granted, but Etling only stepped on a campus a couple months ago.

303 - the exact number of wins and losses since 1920 by Purdue against other Big Ten teams entering this season. With their 42-10 loss against PWisconsin, Purdue is now 303-304 since 1920 against the rest of the Big Ten.

435 - Purdue's total rushing yardage as a team so far this season. Akeem Hunt leads the Boilers with 210 yards on 61 carries. Dalyn Dawkins is second with 25 carries for 104 yards. Nebraska's Abdullah has 690 yards on 94 carries by himself.

593 - Purdue's total wins over its history. All-time record is 593-519-48.

25,092 - Bob Griese's career passing yardage in the NFL, because when someone says "Purdue Football", I think "Bob Griese". Bob Griese was a fine quarterback, I'm sure, but mostly I remember him as a broadcaster. He was okay when he was with Keith Jackson because Jackson kept him in line, but after Jackson retired, Griese became an insufferable ignoramus - think Brent Musberger times two. Therefore whenever I hear "Purdue football" I instantly become irritated. Had I gone through therapy or been born later perhaps I would associate "Purdue football" with Drew Brees, whom I consider a much more likable fellow.

30,808 - season tickets Purdue sold this season. That's up by over 10 percent from last year when they sold 27,672.

47,641 - Drew Brees career passing yardage to date. Kind of makes Bob Griese's total look silly.

62,500 - Ross-Ade Stadium's capacity, build in 1924, and named after it's main two benefactors, David E. Ross and George Ade. It sounds like a drink or a concert put on by Diana Ross. Perhaps Diana Ross could put on a benefit concert for Purdue football. Would it help?

Were there any talking movie/TV animals named Ross?