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Linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley not in uniform for Purdue
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Purdue will reportedly be without its top defender for the season finale against Indiana.
An hour before kickoff, Gold and Black Illustrated tweeted out that starting linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley was not in uniform and will not play against the Hoosiers. This would have been Bentley’s final game for the Boilermakers.
#Purdue LB Ja'Whaun Bentley is NOT in uniform. We knew he didn't practice much this week, but this is a shock. No idea what this injury is. This is not good for the defense. And it's senior day, too.
— GoldandBlack.com (@GoldandBlackcom) November 25, 2017
Bentley has played in all 11 games for Purdue this season and is the team’s top tackler. He’s recorded 89 stops this season, including 9.5 tackles for loss. He’s also forced two fumbles and recorded a pick-six this season.
Purdue has lost the last four meetings with Indiana, meaning Bentley has never recorded a victory over Indiana.
There’s added incentive in this year’s battle for the Old Oaken Bucket, as both the Boilermakers and Hoosiers enter the finale with a 5-6 record. The winner will earn a bowl berth.
Indiana has never beaten Purdue in five straight games.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB