The 10th-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish renew their rivalry with the in-state Purdue Boilermakers in a key non-conference matchup on Saturday. It will be the 87th meeting between the schools, but first since the 2014 season. Purdue claimed three wins in five meetings with Notre Dame between 2003 and 2007, but the Fighting Irish have won six straight since. Notre Dame has dominated in-state opponents through the years, posting a 105-33-4 (.754) all-time record.
The game from Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind., is slated to start at 2:30 p.m. ET. Purdue is averaging 481.5 yards per game on offense, 30th-best in the country, while Notre Dame is 47th, averaging 440. The Fighting Irish are favored by 7.5 points in the latest Notre Dame vs. Purdue odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 58.5. Before locking in any Purdue vs. Notre Dame picks, make sure you check out the college football predictions and analysis from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of over $3,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also enters Week 3 of the 2021 season on a 67-50 run on all top-rated college football picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Purdue vs. Notre Dame and just revealed its picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several college football odds and betting trends for Notre Dame vs. Purdue:
- Purdue vs. Notre Dame spread: Notre Dame -7.5
- Purdue vs. Notre Dame over-under: 58.5 points
- Purdue vs. Notre Dame money line: Purdue +240, Notre Dame -300
- PUR: The Boilermakers are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games after allowing fewer than 20 points in their previous game
- ND: The Fighting Irish are 5-1 ATS in their last six home games against a team with a winning road record
Why Notre Dame can cover
The Fighting Irish have a solid receiving corps, led by sophomore tight end Michael Mayer and junior wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. Mayer leads the team with 16 catches for 201 yards and three TDs, while Austin has eight catches for 154 yards and one score. Austin came up big in the opening road win at Florida State with four receptions for 91 yards (22.8 average), including a 37-yard reception for his first Fighting Irish touchdown in the third quarter. Injuries sidelined much of his 2020 season.
Sophomore running back Kyren Williams has also proven valuable to the offense. He not only leads the Fighting Irish in rushing, but is second in receptions. Williams, who has carried 34 times for 120 yards (3.5 average) and one TD, was solid in the win over Toledo. He carried 16 times for 78 yards (4.9 average) and a touchdown. A week earlier, he showed his versatility by hauling in six passes at Florida State for 83 yards (13.8 average) and a score.
Why Purdue can cover
The Boilermakers are led by junior standout David Bell. The wide receiver is once again tearing up opposing secondaries with 14 receptions for 255 yards (18.2 average) and three touchdowns. Bell had six receptions for 121 yards and three TDs at Connecticut. The three-TD game matched his career high he set against Iowa last season. He is just the second receiver in school history with multiple three-TD reception games, joining Taylor Stubblefield (2001-2004). Bell ranks third in the Big Ten Conference and tied for 16th nationally in receptions per game this season (7.0).
Since senior running back Zander Horvath went down with a broken leg at Connecticut, junior running back King Doerue has stepped up. Doerue has 17 carries for 81 yards (4.8 average) and one TD, including a 12-carry, 74-yard and one touchdown effort against the Huskies last week. For his career, he has 164 carries for 596 yards (3.6 average) and six touchdowns. In 2020, he appeared in just four games, but earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
How to make Purdue vs. Notre Dame picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the point total, projecting the teams will combine for 55 points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in almost 60 percent of simulations. You can only get the model's Notre Dame vs. Purdue pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Purdue vs. Notre Dame? And which side of the spread cashes in almost 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Purdue vs. Notre Dame spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that finished the past five-plus years up over $3,500 on its FBS college football picks, and find out.