Purdue hosts USC at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Ross-Ade Stadium.

Purdue football’s first opponent is impressed by the job coach Barry Odom did to reset the program.

On his weekly Monday radio show, USC coach Lincoln Riley said so much has changed about the Boilermakers that studying any past film is “basically useless.” Though the teams did not play last season, the Trojans ’ first in the Big Ten, Riley saw enough to call this Purdue team “much improved."

Riley, an offensive-minded coach, took note of a defense which shut out Ball State and allowed Southern Illinois only three points after the game’s first two drives.

“They did a good job,” Riley said. “You look at some of the portal additions, some of the roster decisions they made, they brought in some really good, impactful play

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