Boilers await Bearcats

By Paul Trembacki
Sports Editor

It's been 240 days since the Purdue football team last played a game.

So naturally, with Sunday's season opener at Cincinnati only four days away, the team is ready to line up and see someone other than a teammate staring at them on the other side.

"Being out there every day competing against each other we all get anxious to go out there and actually compete against another team," quarterback Brandon Hance said. "I think you can see it a little bit with our attitude. We're getting tired of beating each other up day by day, and I think that's getting a little old."

Purdue started practicing Aug. 5, going through two practices each day until school started. Purdue coach Joe Tiller said the team should be ready to face the Motor City Bowl qualifiers by Sunday. But he said he's not going to cancel any practices this week.

Senior defensive end Akin Ayodele has been ready to get back on the field ever since the team's disappointing 34-24 loss to Washington New Year's Day in the Rose Bowl.

"I am excited about everything," Ayodele said. "I am excited to get back on the field. I am excited to see how we are going to play in a real game situation. Everybody is very emotional and enthusiastic about playing, about being out on the field, even on the practice field. That's has me geared up. I'm anxious."

Fifth-year senior Ben Smith had similar sentiments. He said the players are tired of hitting their teammates in practice.

"The scrimmages have been fun," Smith said. "But we all practice because everybody enjoys the games."

Purdue is 2-2 in season openers under Tiller; Cincinnati, which has won six straight home games for the first time since 1981, is 3-4 in home openers under eighth-year coach Rick Minter. Both teams have won their first game of the season in each of the last two years.

Tiller has seen his players in practice and he's seen Cincinnati's on film. He is concerned about more than just Purdue's players and how they'll match up with Cincinnati's. He knows of the Bearcats' reputation as upset artists.

In 1999, Wisconsin's national title hopes suffered severely after the Badgers lost 17-12 to Cincinnati. Wisconsin finished 10-2 that season, ranked No. 4 in the final poll.

Last season Cincinnati beat Big East Conference power Syracuse 12-10. The Orangemen finished 6-5 but did not get a postseason berth.

"They have played extremely well early in the season against Big Ten teams or Big Ten caliber teams," Tiller said. "So I'm sure they're equally anxious to see us come in there."

The Boilers have been reminded that they need to go into Cincinnati cognizant of the upset-minded Bearcats' potential for a shocker.

Still, Tiller said he's more anxious than he's been in a while about seeing his team respond in a game.

"I'm going to be more like a fan because I'll be like, 'Oh wow let's see what these guys can do next?'" Tiller said. "There are questions about our team that can only be answered by playing a football game."

Those questions include concerns about how the offensive line, with four new starters, will fare; how Brandon Hance, who has attempted only nine passes in a Purdue uniform, will do as two-time Heisman Trophy finalist Drew Brees' replacement; and how the 10 returning starters on defense will respond.

"We've all done a good job preparing each other for Cincinnati, so we're looking forward to that," Hance said. "We're comfortable with ourselves and we're going to execute."

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