Battle for the bucket

This is it -- the game that every practice of every season builds up to. It's a chance for every freshman to see what bitterness really tastes like. It's a chance for seniors to go out in a blaze of glory.\nIt's IU (3-8, 1-6 Big Ten) versus Purdue (5-6, 3-4 Big Ten) Saturday afternoon at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette as the teams kickoff the 105th edition of the series that dates back to 1891.\n"It's Purdue. It's for the (Old Oaken) Bucket," said senior defensive lineman Kris Dielman. "If you can't get jacked for that, you shouldn't be playing football at IU."\nFor Dielman and his fellow seniors, the game offers a unique opportunity -- they can become the first class to hold onto the Bucket for two straight seasons since 1991's graduating class, which won the prize in 1990 and 1991.\n"That's definitely something we want to do," senior quarterback Tommy Jones said. "We want to give the guys behind us a chance to win it three years in a row."\nIn order for the Hoosiers to put together an Old Oaken Bucket winning streak, they must first put a halt to their current five-game losing streak. The Hoosiers have tailspinned ever since a 24-8 Homecoming loss to No. 5 Iowa.\nA team headed in the opposite direction is the Boilermakers. After a 3-5 start that included a home loss to Wake Forest, Purdue has responded by winning two of its last three games. The only loss was a 10-6 heartbreaker at the hands of No. 2 Ohio State.\nWith the Boilermakers still one win short of bowl eligibility, Saturday's game allows IU an extra incentive -- they can play spoiler and keep the Boilers home for the holidays.\n"That would be the best way to go out," Jones said. "Win the Old Oaken Bucket and ruin their chances for a bowl game."\nJones and the IU offense will have their hands full with the Purdue defense, which is spearheaded by junior free safety Stuart Schweigert. Schweigert is Purdue's career interception leader. He's also a candidate for All-American honors, and is a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award (best defensive player nationally) and Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back nationally). \nBut Jones and the IU offense are prepared to throw anything and everything in the playbook at the Purdue defense.\n"Everything we've had in the playbook from day one is in," Jones said. "Anything can happen."\nPurdue's offense will be looking to give IU fits, though. The Boilermakers, fourth in the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 28.9 points per game. The IU defense, on the other hand, is ranked 10th in the Conference, giving up 37.4 points a game.\nIn addition, Purdue has outscored IU 93-20 in the last two games played at Ross-Ade.\nAnd while this year's Boilermaker attack won't be as wide-open as it was in the days of Drew Brees, the combination of quarterbacks freshman Brandon Kirsch and sophomore Kyle Orton have Purdue passing for an average of 254.4 yards per game, which is 29th in the nation.\nKirsch is expected to start on Saturday.\nThough he's a newcomer to the series, coach Gerry DiNardo understands what he will be up against Saturday.\n"They are a little more balanced offensively than they have been in the past. They've run the ball," DiNardo said. "We've got a lot of work to do"