Chris Coduto/Arizona Daily Wildcat Arizona's Mike Bell breaks away from NAU's Bryan Copeland during Saturday's 31-12 win against NAU. Bell remembers the 59-7 beating the Purdue Boilermakers administered to the Wildcats in 2003, saying, 'I was amazed ... They were a good, good team."

The last time the Arizona football team played Purdue, the Wildcats had a different head coach, three different quarterbacks, and if you asked players who were there, a different attitude and approach.

The Boilermakers handled the 2003 team with ease, winning 59-7 in West Lafayette, Ind.

Although just one season separates that blowout and tomorrow's non-televised, 7 p.m. matchup, no one from either school expects the same outcome.

"We think it will be a huge challenge for our football team, but one we look forward to facing," said Purdue head coach Joe Tiller in his weekly press conference Tuesday. He added that Arizona has improved a lot during head coach Mike Stoops' tenure.

"(Purdue) is a tremendous program," Stoops said. "They've got a great football team. Joe Tiller's been there, what, 10, 12 years? He's built a good program."

The Wildcats (1-1) and No. 12 Boilermakers (1-0) play tomorrow night at Arizona Stadium in Arizona's last non-conference game before heading to California in two weeks to open Pacific 10 Conference play.

Purdue will be the second Big Ten opponent Arizona has hosted in as many years. The Wildcats fell to Wisconsin 9-7 in September 2004.

That loss to the Badgers was a far cry from the thumping the Boilermakers applied.

In that game Purdue out-gained Arizona 580 yards to 174 while forcing four Wildcat turnovers that led to 24 points.

The good news for the Wildcats is only eight players from that team saw significant action, including running backs Mike Bell and Gilbert Harris and defensive players Darrell Brooks, Lamon Means, Marcus Smith, Copeland Bryan, John McKinney and Marcus Hollingsworth.

Chris Coduto/Arizona Daily Wildcat Arizona's Lamon Means causes NAU running back Philo Sanchez to fumble during Saturday's game against Northern Arizona. Arizona defeated the Lumberjacks 31-12, improving to 1-1 on the season.

"I was kind of young at that point," Bell said. "I was amazed having an opportunity to play against them. They were a good, good team."

The Wildcats have already faced a pair of teams that use the option and will face a third in Purdue.

"We like the idea that it could generate some big runs," Tiller said. "I think any time we run the option we run the risk of the ball being on the ground."

The Boilermakers racked up 211 yards rushing last week in the team's 49-24 win over Akron.

Arizona hopes the experiences from the Utah and NAU games will prepare them for Purdue.

"It's been good. We've been able to see it two weeks in a row," said Arizona linebackers coach Tim Kish. "Everybody's got a certain assignment. As long as (our defense is) doing their job, we'll be OK."

Arizona players also talked about the size and strength of the Boilermakers, something they say is typical of a Big Ten team.

"They're physically dominant," Brooks said. "They're strong and they're exactly Midwest boys that come and pound you. I think all Big Ten teams we've seen and even watched on film attack you with their fronts. Nothing is different with them."