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FACTS & STATS: Site: Ross-Ade Stadium (62,500) -- West Lafayette, Indiana. Television: BTN. Home Record: Toledo 0-0, Purdue 0-0. Away Record: Toledo 0-0, Purdue 0-0. Neutral Record: Toledo 0-0, Purdue 0-0. Conference Record: Toledo 0-0, Purdue 0-0. Series Record: Series is tied, 2-2.

GAME NOTES: Two coaches begin their reigns at their respective schools this weekend, as the Toledo Rockets look to take off against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium.

New coach Tim Beckman will have his work cut out for him, as Toledo is coming off a 3-9 ledger in 2008, which is the worst performance in 31 years. Toledo is only 5-12 against Big Ten schools, but over the last eight meetings, the Rockets are 4-4, and that includes a victory over Michigan in 2008.

As for the Boilermakers, they also have a new coach on the sideline, as Danny Hope takes over as the 34th head coach in school history. Purdue has enjoyed success in season openers, posting a 71-44-6 ledger in its 121-year history, and that includes five consecutive victories.

This will be the fifth meeting between Purdue and Toledo on the gridiron, and the previous four matchups have been split down the middle. The most recent meeting took place in 2007, a convincing 52-24 win for the Boilermakers.

The Rockets imploded in 2008 on the offensive side of the ball, but coach Beckman hopes with plenty of experience returning, the team can take a few steps forward. Aaron Opelt started every game under center for Toledo, but he was inconsistent at best, finishing the year with just 2,178 yards and 12 scores against seven interceptions. Expect Opelt to look for Stephen Williams early and often this Saturday, as the wideout returns after hauling in 71 passes in 2008, for 781 yards and eight scores, both of which were team highs. One of the strengths of this year's team could be the ground game, which potentially has one of the more dangerous running back tandems in the MAC in Morgan Williams and DaJuane Collins. Last year, Williams, who averaged an outstanding 6.0 ypc, led the squad with 1,010 yards and six scores, while Collins rumbled for 700 yards and five touchdowns. However, Williams was suspended for the first two games of the year, so look for Jake Walker to see his playing time increase early on.

Along with an inconsistent offense, the Rockets struggled on defense, yielding 31.9 ppg. The front line struggled tremendously against the run, allowing 178.0 ypg on the ground, but Beckman is hoping with some experience returning the team can improve on those numbers. Derrick Summers and Maurice Hill will man the middle in the opener, while Alex Johnson and Douglas Westbrook will play the end positions. Safety Barry Church and linebacker Archie Donald are back at their respective positions and will look to build on their impressive 2008 campaigns. Also back is safety Lester Richmond, but the Rockets will have two new corners for this Saturday in sophomores Anthony Washington and Andreas Ashwood.

Coach Hope will also have his hands full with his offense in his first year, as the Boilermakers only return three starters, all of which are from the offensive line. Joey Elliott only threw 15 passes in 2008, but the fifth-year senior will have control of the offense when the season begins. Kevin Smith is the only returning target for Elliott, as the team will need Aaron Valentin and Royce Adams to step up if the team is going to have a strong passing attack. Ralph Bolden will lead the way out of the backfield for Purdue, but the sophomore lacks experience, so expect Jaycen Taylor to get plenty of carries as well.

Fortunately there is plenty of experience returning on the defensive side of the ball for Purdue, giving coach Hope the ability to rely on his defense early in the year. The biggest playmaker is at defensive end, where junior Ryan Kerrigan is looking to build on his seven sacks from last season. Tackle Mike Neal (6-4, 305) is a run stuffer, and he could team up with redshirt freshman Kawann Short on the inside. Joe Holland will highlight a linebacking corps that struggled this past season, but with him and middle LB Chris Carlino more experienced, the Boilermakers are much better prepared in this area. The strength of the unit will be in the defensive backfield where the team possesses two outstanding safeties in Dwight McLean and Torri Williams.

The Rockets have been a thorn in the side of Big Ten schools over the past few seasons, and Purdue knows this all too well. Still, look for the Boilermakers to get off on the right foot in 2009, sending coach Hope to the first of many victories in West Lafayette.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Purdue 28, Toledo 17