Tag: purdue boilermakers

No. 2 Indiana trying to keep focus on rival Purdue

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Upsetting unbeaten Indiana on Friday night looms as a tall order for host Purdue, a loser of nine straight games and winless in conference play.

Potentially emulating the Hoosiers’ meteoric turnaround next season is the plan for the Boilermakers (2-9, 0-8 Big Ten), a goal they see as feasible even if No. 2 Indiana (11-0, 8-0) runs away with the Old Oaken Bucket again.

“I do believe in my soul in the foundation of the core of who we’re going to be and what we’re becoming and what we’re building and what we’ve changed in 10 or 11 months,” first-year Purdue coach Barry Odom said. “If we change that much more in the next few months, then we’ll be playing really meaningful games in the month of November.”

This meeting carries significance for the Hoosiers, of course, as they maintained the No. 2 spot in the latest College Football Playoff ranking released Tuesday. Indiana will reach the Big Ten Championship game on Dec. 6 in Indianapolis with a win in West Lafayette, Ind., on Friday or a loss Saturday by No. 1 Ohio State at No. 15 Michigan.

Internalizing a “next game up mentality” is Indiana’s aim, tight end Riley Nowakowski said.

“We can’t play tomorrow’s game; we have to play today’s game. I think that’s really just been the message,” he said. “Every day we come in focused. Intensity has got to be high every single time because in college football, you can get beat on any given Saturday. You see it all throughout the season that, you know, a team thinks they have an easy game, and it doesn’t end well for them.”

Being idle since a 31-7 home rout of Wisconsin on Nov. 15 has given the Hoosiers more time to embrace that mindset and to get healthy.

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said this week that the team expects wide receiver Elijah Sarratt and defensive lineman Mikail Kamara to return from injury.

Even with Sarratt sidelined, Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza has continued to thrive, recording 30 touchdown passes to match Sawyer Robertson of Baylor for most in FBS.

Omar Cooper Jr. and Sarratt have caught 10 touchdowns apiece.

“Everybody seems to be refreshed,” Cignetti said.

Purdue has played just three one-score conference games this season and is coming off a 49-13 loss at Washington on Nov. 15.

Malachi Singleton passed for 150 yards and a touchdown, but Ryan Browne will start Friday as Odom sticks with a two-QB system.

“We’ll feel the flow of the game and see how they’re playing,” Purdue offensive coordinator Josh Henson said. “We didn’t really have a set plan for the last game. But we felt as the game was flowing that some of the things Malachi brought to the table gave us a good shot to win that game.

“Ryan’s had a great week of practice. Malachi has, too. We’ll start it the way we did and see how the game’s going.”

The Hoosiers’ 66-0 rout of the Boilermakers last season marked Indiana’s most points and its largest margin of victory in the long-running rivalry.

–Field Level Media

Nov 1, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Jordan Marshall (23) rushes for a touchdown in the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

No. 21 Michigan’s ground game too much for Purdue

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Jordan Marshall rushed for 185 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries to lead No. 21 Michigan to a 21-16 home win over Purdue on Saturday in a Big Ten contest.

Michigan (7-2, 5-1) won its third straight game and sixth of last seven to keep its conference title and College Football Playoff hopes alive.

Quarterback Bryce Underwood went 13-of-22 passing for 145 yards for Michigan, which rushed for 253 yards and overcame two turnovers.

Ryan Browne went 19-of-24 passing for 133 yards and a touchdown for Purdue (2-7, 0-6), which has lost seven straight.

Purdue rushed for 139 yards and had the edge in time of possession at 32:55, but lost to Michigan for a seventh straight time. The last time Purdue beat Michigan was in 2009.

Leading by just 4 points in the second half, Michigan extended its lead to 21-10 with 10:03 remaining in the game on a 9-yard touchdown run by Marshall, which ended a nine-play, 50-yard drive.

But Purdue answered, driving 67 yards in nine plays and cutting Michigan’s lead to 21-16 on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Browne to Malachi Thomas with 6:00 remaining. The two-point conversion failed.

Michigan took over on its own 25-yard line with 6:00 left and ended up running out the clock by driving the ball down inside the Purdue 10-yard line.

With the game tied 7-7 late in the second quarter, Michigan grabbed a 14-7 lead with 17 seconds remaining until halftime on a 3-yard touchdown run by Marshall.

The score came after Michigan took over on the Purdue 32-yard line following a 21-yard punt by Purdue’s Jack McCallister.

Michigan opened the scoring with 1:25 seconds left in the first quarter on a 54-yard touchdown run by Marshall.

Purdue answered in the second, tying the game at 7-7 on a 2-yard touchdown run by Antonio Harris, which finished off a 16-play, 75-yard drive that took 9:30 off the clock.

–Field Level Media

Oct 11, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Purdue Boilermakers tight end Rico Walker (17) hurdles over Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back Jai'Onte' McMillan (24) during the first half at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Minnesota caps rally with pick-six to upend Purdue

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Drake Lindsey passed for 232 yards and two touchdowns and Koi Perich returned an interception 27 yards for a score as Minnesota defeated Purdue 27-20 on Saturday in Minneapolis.

Minnesota (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) stopped a two-game skid in the series against Purdue (2-4, 0-3).

The Golden Gophers outscored the Boilermakers 14-0 in the fourth quarter, with Perich giving the hosts the advantage for good with 7:40 left.

On the first play after Minnesota tied the game at 20 on a 4-yard scoring connection from Lindsey to Jameson Geers, Perich snagged a Ryan Browne pass and raced to the end zone. Browne didn’t appear to see Perich behind the line of scrimmage.

Purdue drove 15 plays to the Minnesota 7-yard line on the ensuing possession. But Jai’Onte’ McMillan broke up a pass intended for Michael Jackson III in the end zone with 1:56 to go.

The visitors got the ball back at their own 39 with 15 seconds left but didn’t threaten.

The Boilermakers outgained the Golden Gophers 456-262, including 253-30 on the ground.

Lindsey finished 21-for-45 passing for 232 yards and an interception. Darius Taylor had six catches for 67 yards and Lemeke Brockington caught four passes for 61 yards and a score.

Browne was 21-for-40 passing for 203 yards and two interceptions. Devin Mockobee gained 98 yards on 21 carries and Corey Smith had six catches for 57 yards.

The Boilermakers took a 20-13 lead on Spencer Porath’s 20-yard field goal with 8:20 remaining in the second quarter.

Purdue stayed afloat behind a versatile ground attack that humbled one of Minnesota’s early-season strengths.

The Golden Gophers entered the game with the nation’s ninth-best run defense, limiting foes to 79 yards and 2.8 yards per carry.

The Boilermakers eclipsed that in the first half, rushing for 178 yards on 23 carries.

Malachi Singleton (five carries, 73 yards) provided a big chunk of that total with a 40-yard touchdown run to cap the first possession of the game, punctuating a seven-play, 75-yard drive.

Browne added a 12-yard scoring run with 1:52 left in the second quarter that gave the Boilermakers a 17-10 lead.

Minnesota drove for a 29-yard Brady Denaburg field goal as time expired in the second quarter to draw within 17-13.

–Field Level Media

Sep 27, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer (9) scores a touchdown during the first half against the Southern California Trojans at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

No. 22 Illinois brings high-powered offense into Purdue showdown

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Even with a high-profile hiccup, No. 22 Illinois keeps clicking behind an explosive offense entering Saturday afternoon’s game against Big Ten Conference rival Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind.

The Fighting Illini (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) are averaging 35.8 points a game, and yes, that includes the 63-10 loss in its conference opener at then-No. 19 Indiana on Sept. 20.

Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer rallied to rebound last week, earning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors in a 34-32 home win against then-No. 21 Southern California, passing for 328 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for one TD and even catching a scoring pass.

Altmyer’s 11 touchdown passes are tied for ninth-best in the country.

While wideout Hank Beatty has been splashy as the nation’s only player with passing, rushing, receiving and punt-return TDs, Justin Bowick is tops on the team with four touchdown receptions.

Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney said he thinks the 6-foot-4 Bowick’s size will be a concern for Purdue and going forward. A Ball State transfer, Bowick was limited to 20 receptions and three TDs last season due to injury. He began his collegiate career at Eastern Illinois.

“He’s a threat no matter where he’s at; he’s a good football player, and he’s going to continue to play for us and make an impact in games,” Lunney said. “But obviously, he’s done a great job with his opportunities. … J-Bo, he’s been a nice threat for us.”

Purdue (2-2, 0-1), meanwhile, is coming off a bye week in which it sought to make bygones out of the past two games.

During a 33-17 home loss to Southern Cal on Sept. 13 and a 56-30 defeat at then-No. 24 Notre Dame a week later, the Purdue defense yielded 32 plays of at least 10 yards. That included 11 plays of more than 20 yards.

Meanwhile, Purdue’s offense averaged only 2.3 yards per carry in those defeats and is averaging just 3.1 this season.

“It gave us a lot of time to sit back and really, truly evaluate,” Boilermakers defensive coordinator Mike Scherer said. “No one’s feelings are getting hurt. Nothing like that. There’s no egos, there’s no nothing. We look at it and say, ‘OK, here’s what’s been good, here’s what’s been bad. How do we move forward and play better?’”

Purdue will aim to ramp up the pressure against Altmyer and the Illinois attack. Defensive back Myles Slusher recorded Purdue’s lone sack at Notre Dame as the defense generated just two tackles for loss.

Offensively, the Boilermakers showed some pizzazz, as quarterback Ryan Browne caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Devin Mockobee in addition to throwing for 250 yards and a score against Notre Dame.

“I think where he’s at, I think he’s playing really well,” Purdue coach Barry Odom said of Browne. “I think he can play better. Ryan will tell you that, too.”

Purdue leads the all-time series 48-46-6, but Illinois boasts recent bragging rights after earning a 50-49 overtime victory at home last season. Altmyer passed for a career-best 379 yards while accounting for four total touchdowns, including three through the air.

–Field Level Media

Nov 22, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; UNLV Rebels head coach Barry Odom watches his team against the San Jose State Spartans during the third quarter at CEFCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Report: Purdue close to signing UNLV’s Barry Odom as coach

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Purdue is close to hiring UNLV head coach Barry Odom to the same position, Yahoo Sports reported on Sunday morning.

Odom has posted a 19-8 record in two seasons with the Rebels. He has guided the team to consecutive Mountain West championship game appearances, including a 21-7 loss to Boise State on Friday.

Odom also guided Missouri to a 25-25 mark over four seasons (2016-19).

He effectively replaces Ryan Walters, who went 5-19 over two seasons before being fired on Dec. 1. The Boilermakers dropped 11 straight games since they opened the season with a 49-0 victory over Indiana State on Aug. 31.

–Field Level Media

Purdue Boilermakers head coach Ryan Walters looks down field Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, during the NCAA football game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. Penn State Nittany Lions won 49-10.

Purdue fires head coach Ryan Walters after 2 seasons

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Purdue fired head football coach Ryan Walters on Sunday after two seasons.

The move came on the heels of the Boilermakers enduring their worst loss in the program’s history, a 66-0 shellacking by No. 10 Indiana on Saturday.

The setback was Purdue’s 11th in a row since it opened the season with a 49-0 victory over Indiana State on Aug. 31.

It was all downhill from there for the Boilermakers, who were 1-11 this season and 5-19 during Walters’ two years at the school.

“After an ongoing assessment, and in consultation with President Mung Chiang and the University’s Board of Trustees, I have made the decision that a change in the leadership of our football program is necessary,” Purdue executive vice president Mike Bobinski said.

“As college athletics enters an entirely new era in 2025, it’s a pivotal time for Purdue, and we must take the steps necessary to best position our football program for success. … This was a truly difficult decision, as head coach Ryan Walters continued to lead the Boilermakers with integrity, resilience and poise in the face of considerable challenges.”

Purdue was shut out three times in the past six games, outscored 146-0.

Walters was hired to replace Jeff Brohm prior to the 2023 season when Brohm departed for Louisville.

Per Bobinski, a national search has commenced to find a new head coach.

–Field Level Media

Nov 30, 2024; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers running back Justice Ellison (6) runs the ball while Purdue Boilermakers defensive back Dillon Thieneman (31) defends in the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Kurtis Rourke, No. 10 Indiana shred hapless Purdue

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Kurtis Rourke threw for 349 yards and six touchdowns Saturday night as No. 10 Indiana appears headed for an unlikely spot in the College Football Playoff with a 66-0 Big Ten Conference rout of visiting Purdue in Bloomington, Ind.

Picked 17th among 18 teams in the conference’s preseason poll, the Hoosiers improved to 11-1 overall and 8-1 in the conference. While they lost the tiebreaker to No. 4 Penn State to meet No. 1 Oregon in the conference title game on Dec. 7, they should be among the 12-team CFP field when it’s announced on Dec. 8.

Rourke completed 23 of 31 passes, and Elijah Surratt finished with eight catches for 165 yards and two touchdowns as Indiana found the offensive form that was missing in a 20-15 win over Michigan on Nov. 9 and a 38-15 loss last week at No. 2 Ohio State. The Hoosiers rolled up 582 total yards.

Their defense stifled the hapless Boilermakers (1-11, 0-9), which managed just 67 yards and five first downs in absorbing their 11th straight loss.

Hudson Card hit 6 of 13 passes for 35 yards with an interception for the Boilermakers before leaving the game in the third quarter. They failed to win a conference game for the first time since 1993.

Indiana took the lead on its second possession, driving 86 yards and scoring on Justice Ellison’s 2-yard run. After a missed field goal attempt, the Hoosiers scored touchdowns on three straight possessions an led 28-0 at halftime.

For the first of those, Rourke connected with Ke’Shawn Williams for a 14-yard touchdown at the 11:31 mark, followed by an 84-yard strike to Sarratt just over four minutes later. Ty Son Lawton added a 4-yard touchdown run with 2:52 remaining in the half.

The game became a laugher in the third quarter with 17 more points. Nicolas Radicic hit a 26-yard field goal, followed by Rourke’s 24-yard scoring strike to Sarratt and a 5-yard touchdown pass to Zach Horton with 1:31 remaining.

Rourke added 34 and 17-yard scoring connections to Miles Cross and Omar Cooper in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter.

–Field Level Media

Nov 16, 2024; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers running back Devin Mockobee (45) is tackled by several Penn State Nittany Lions during the second quarter at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

No. 4 Penn State takes it turn pummeling Purdue

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Drew Allar passed for three touchdowns and Tyler Warren found the end zone twice as No. 4 Penn State rolled over host Purdue 49-10 on Saturday in West Lafayette, Ind.

Allar finished with more touchdowns than incompletions, as he went 17 of 19 for 247 yards without a turnover for the Nittany Lions (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten). Warren totaled eight catches for 127 yards and a score and also had a 48-yard scoring run.

Hudson Card passed for 151 yards and Max Klare had 91 receiving yards and a touchdown for Purdue (1-9, 0-7), which has not won since Week 1 and has not beaten Penn State since 2004. The Boilermakers have faced three top-five opponents in the last month, losing those games by a combined margin of 129-10.

The Nittany Lions wasted no time featuring the Allar-to-Warren connection. The two hooked up for gains of 15, 17 and 27 yards on the opening drive of the game, setting up Allar’s 2-yard scoring strike to Kaytron Allen.

On the next Penn State trip, Allar found Warren for 9 yards on third-and-2 early on the drive. The march ended with Allar’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Warren, making it 14-0.

The Boilermakers got on the board with a field goal midway through the second quarter, but the ensuing possession featured a backwards pass from Warren to Allar, who then threw back across the field to Warren for a 38-yard gain. Nicholas Singleton plunged in for a 10-yard score on the next play, making it 21-3.

That was still the score at halftime before the visitors erupted for three touchdowns in the third quarter — all covering 40-plus yards.

First, Warren took a direct snap and went 48 yards for a touchdown. Then Allar found a wide-open Harrison Wallace III in the end zone for a 46-yard score. And finally, backup QB Beau Pribula kept the ball on a read-option and sprinted 49 yards to make it 42-3.

Purdue’s only touchdown came midway through the fourth, when backup quarterback Ryan Browne found Klare for a 20-yard score.

–Field Level Media

Nov 9, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) celebrates with tight end Gee Scott Jr. (88) after Scott scored a touchdown in the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Samantha Madar-Imagn Images

No. 2 Ohio State has easy time with Purdue 45-0

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Will Howard threw for three touchdowns and Jeremiah Smith set a pair of team records as No. 2 Ohio State rolled past Purdue 45-0 in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday.

Smith had a 17-yard touchdown catch late in the first half to up the lead to 21-0 for the Buckeyes (8-1, 5-1 Big Ten). The score was Smith’s ninth to pass Chris Carter’s Ohio State freshman record for TD catches set in 1984.

Smith needed three receptions to break Carter’s first-year mark of 41 and he surpassed that in the first half with six catches for 87 yards. He did not have a catch in the second half.

Howard was 21 of 26 for 260 yards and TreVeyon Henderson ran for 85 yards on six carries.

Purdue (1-8, 0-5) has lost eight straight games for its longest single-season streak since losing 10 in a row in 2013. The Boilermakers also lost eight consecutive games spanning the 2016-17 seasons.

Purdue quarterback Hudson Card was 9-of-19 passing for 108 yards and an interception and Devin Mockabee rushed for 73 yards on 13 carries for the Boilermakers.

The Buckeyes used a special teams play and a goal-line stand for a 14-0 lead in the second quarter.

Caden Curry’s blocked punt gave Ohio State the ball at the Purdue 8-yard line and Howard followed running back Quinshon Judkins through the line to score from the 1 on fourth down

After Ohio State stopped Penn State on four downs from the 3 to preserve a 20-13 win last week, the Buckeyes forced a field goal try by the Boilermakers after three unsuccessful tries to score from the 5 in the second quarter.

Purdue’s Spencer Porath missed the 21-yard attempt and the Buckeyes then moved 80 yards in 13 plays to go up 14-0 on a 15-yard catch by Gee Scott Jr. with 8:30 remaining before halftime.

It was 24-0 late in the third quarter when Ohio State scored twice in 8 seconds on a 19-yard TD run by Henderson and defensive end Jack Sawyer’s 15-yard scoop and score off a Reggie Love III fumble to make it 38-0.

— Field Level Media

Purdue Boilermakers defensive back Dillon Thieneman (31) pushes Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Jack Lausch (12) out of bounds Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, during the NCAA football game at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind.

Northwestern continues Purdue’s misery with OT victory

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Joseph Himon II scored two touchdowns, including a 22-yard game-ending TD reception in overtime, as visiting Northwestern pulled off a 26-20 victory over Purdue on Saturday at West Lafayette, Ind.

Purdue turned the ball over on downs to open overtime, gambling on a fourth-and-5 play, to set up Northwestern’s game-winning possession.

Himon rushed for 78 yards and one score, while Cam Porter added 17 rushing yards with a touchdown. Jack Lausch passed for 250 yards and Luke Akers made a pair of field goals as the Wildcats (4-5, 2-4 Big Ten) ended a two-game losing streak.

Northwestern ran for 122 yards, with 51 of those coming on Himon’s first-quarter rushing TD. Porter had eight receptions for 85 yards for Northwestern.

Hudson Card passed for 267 yards and a touchdown for Purdue in his return from concussion protocol as the Boilermakers (1-7, 0-5) saw their losing streak extend to seven games. Max Klare had six receptions for 78 yards and Jahmal Edrine had five catches for 54 yards with a touchdown for Purdue.

The Boilermakers were held to 47 yards rushing, with Devin Mockobee gaining 29 yards on 10 carries.

After the teams traded field goals in the opening 12 minutes of the game, Himon peeled off his 51-yard TD run with under a minute remaining in the first quarter. It was the longest of his college career, as the Wildcats took a 10-3 lead. Porter’s 1-yard TD run with 2:23 remaining in the first half gave Northwestern a 17-3 lead.

Purdue cut the deficit to one score when Edrine caught a 6-yard TD pass from Card with 25 seconds left in the opening half, cutting the deficit to 17-10.

Each team traded field goals after halftime, with Northwestern taking a 20-13 lead on Akers’ boot from 41 yards with 10:41 remaining in the game.

Card led Purdue on a 11-play, 75-yard drive, with Mockobee finishing it off on a 1-yard TD run to tie the score 20-20 with 5:16 to play.

Northwestern played without wide receiver Bryce Kirtz (undisclosed injury), while wideout Frank Covey IV departed in the first half with a knee injury.

–Field Level Media