GoldandBlack.com: Eager for Road

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (GoldandBlack.com) - Defensive end Ryan Kerrigan has an idea of what to expect when Purdue visits Wisconsin on Saturday.

"They're going to hate us," Kerrigan said prior to Tuesday's practice. "The fans up there are really passionate about football. It's going to be a great atmosphere and I'm excited for it."

Purdue last played at Wisconsin in 2005, due to the Big Ten's rotating schedule. No current Boilermaker played in that game. A handful of players were redshirt freshmen, and safety Torri Williams, then a sophomore, was injured.

"I love playing on the road," senior offensive tackle Zach Jones said. "When I first started playing, I was a little nervous, but I've got a couple experiences under my belt and a I look forward to it now. ... I haven't played at Camp Randall and now that's what I'm looking forward to."

Defensive tackle Mike Neal expects a hostile crowd - Wisconsin is known for its raucous environment and Saturday's game will be played on Halloween - but nothing Purdue hasn't dealt with in some previous games.

"It can't be too much different from Oregon," Neal said. "Oregon had a great stadium and provided a great opportunity to play in. We played against Hawaii at Hawaii, which had a pretty wild crowd. We're pretty poised to go up there and play a good football game."

Neal said he has talked with former Boilermakers who have played at Wisconsin, including NFL players Anthony Spencer (Dallas), Rob Ninkovich (New England) and Alex Magee (Kansas City). They were all teammates of Neal at one point.

"They said it was a cool atmosphere to play in," Neal said. "I've heard so many good things about it, so I'm going to enjoy going up there."

Neal said he doesn't pay too much attention to whatever crowds in opposing stadiums may have to say. Even if it's the 80,000-plus people that will cram into Camp Randall on Saturday.

"Personally, when I play against them I tune them out," Neal said. "I really don't care how loud it is, whether the crowd is booing us, or how good they feel about what their team is doing.

"But it's fun when you go somewhere and everyone is against you. It makes you pull together as a team. You want to come out with the victory and try to hush the crowd up."

Purdue's experience playing at Oregon, coupled with returning to a practice schedule filled with piped-in crowd noise and loud music, is why players expect to be prepared for the Wisconsin atmosphere.

"I think we're going to gave a game plan just like we did for going to going to Eugene, Ore., where we practice against crowd noise in practice to get us ready for it," quarterback Joey Elliott said, "just to make sure we're focusing in the huddle and paying attention to details."

Purdue (3-5) is riding a two-game winning streak for the first time since the 2007 season.

"We like the direction we're going in," linebacker Joe Holland said. "We just need to keep working hard, keep on working to improve, eliminate our mistakes and we're really excited."

With the recent success comes a rejuvenated hope of becoming eligible for a postseason bowl game.

To do so, the Boilermakers need to finish with at least six wins, meaning they need to win one of the next two games, both on the road - this week at Wisconsin and the following week at Michigan. Purdue hasn't won a road game since 2007.

Looking too far ahead, isn't in the plans, said Neal.

"We approach every game the same way," he said. "You've got to put the pads on, play football and get the W. I don't even know who we play after Wisconsin, to be completely honest with you. We're taking everything as a one-game season."

Kerrigan knows what it will take to win this week's "one-game season."

"We have to match and surpass their physicality in every aspect of the game," Kerrigan said. "It's going to take a total team effort."