Purdue (3-6, 1-4 Big Ten) at Michigan St. (8-2, 5-1)
The Michigan State Spartans can keep the pressure on Penn State in the Big Ten race by winning at disappointing Purdue on Saturday, and State coach Mark Dantonio is expecting to see two Boilermaker QBs in the game.
Dantoino knows drop-back passer Curtis Painter, a fifth-year senior, and dual-threat sophomore Justin Siller can pose problems.
“I’m sure they run a little bit more of this than that (depending on who is in the game),” Dantonio said. “But I don’t think they have gone out and made wholesale changes.”
Siller started for Painter against Michigan last Saturday, ending Painter’s 40-game starting streak after the senior separated his shoulder Oct. 25 against Minnesota. Purdue coach Joe Tiller didn’t decide his starter until just before Saturday’s game.
Siller led the Boilers to season-highs in points and offensive yards. He also scored touchdowns in all six of the Boilers trips inside the red zone. So who starts this week? Tiller has said it would be Painter is he’s healthy but sort of backtracked.
“I think we’ll really evaluate during the week and see, No. 1, if Curtis is healthy, that’s first and foremost. No. 2, let’s just say he is; if he’s 100 percent, which I don’t think he will be, but he could be … then I think it’s a question of how he handles the game plan.”
Painter was listed Tuesday as the starter in a team depth chart.
Siller passed for 266 yards and three touchdowns against Michigan in his first career start.
“He’s a run-pass guy that can take a bad play and make it a good one,” Dantonio said of Siller.
The No. 18 Spartans look to win a third straight game. They are second in the Big Ten behind 5-0 and third-ranked Penn State, and one-half game ahead of 4-1 and No. 12 Ohio State. Michigan State and Penn State close the season with a game in Happy Valley.
Heisman Trophy candidate Javon Ringer ran for a season-low 54 yards on 21 carries in a win against Wisconsin last Saturday, and QB Brian Hoyer completed only 43 percent of his passes and didn’t throw a TD pass.
Ringer, who did rush for two TDs against Wisconsin, ranks second in the nation with 142.7 yards per game and needs 21 yards to top his career high of 1,447 from last season. He has struggled in three games against Purdue, though, gaining 169 yards on 45 carries with no touchdowns.
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