Ryan Day challenges No. 3 Ohio State to keep the intensity high vs. Purdue

After three straight grinding, nail-biting games for No. 3 Ohio State, head coach Ryan Day has the challenge of keeping the intensity high against an opponent that likely won't put up the same level of fight.

Hard-luck Purdue (1-7, 0-5 Big Ten) visits Ohio Stadium on Saturday, a week after the Buckeyes gutted out an emotional 20-13 win over then-No. 2 Penn State.

The previous week, Ohio State (7-1, 4-1, CFP No. 2) needed a late interception to seal a 21-17 win over Nebraska. On Oct. 12, they lost a 32-31 heartbreaker at No. 1 Oregon.

Now with two games coming up against lesser opponents — Purdue and Northwestern — nobody would blame the Buckeyes for looking a few weeks down the road.

Ohio State hosts No. 8 Indiana on Nov. 23 and rival Michigan in the season finale on Nov. 30. Every game is a must-win. Another loss and the Buckeyes run the risk of being pushed out of the 12-team College Football Playoff.

For as much time as Day spent answering questions this week about the Penn State game, he stressed that his team has got to move on and run over Purdue.

Ohio State has been tripped up in mid-season before, notably in 2018 when the unbeaten No. 2 Buckeyes were stunned 49-20 by unranked Purdue at West Lafayette, Indiana.

"If our guys think they’re just going to go out and play on Saturday, they’re wrong," Day said. "I think (Purdue is) a much better team than their record shows. If anybody here in this building is thinking about last week, they’re distracted and that can’t happen."

Purdue swamped FCS school Indiana State, 49-0, in the opener but has since lost seven in a row, it's longest losing streak since 2016. But second-year coach Ryan Walters likes the improvement.

"Two of the last three games, we've been there right