OSU hosts Purdue in The Shoe this weekend, and… Well, if the Buckeyes don’t bludgeon this version of the Boilermakers, then Ryan Day might want to sign up for LinkedIn Premium and prepay for the post-trial period.
Ohio State hosts Purdue at noon this Saturday, in what should absolutely, unequivocally be a get-right game for the Buckeyes. Because the Boilermakers are bad, bad. Like, ranked outside the top 118 nationally in points per game scored and allowed-bad (there are only 134 FBS teams).
Which is surprising to some, including yours truly. I had high expectations for Ryan Walters when he took the Purdue HC gig, but things just haven’t worked out – for him or the team – in West Lafayette.
The Boilermakers are 1-7 this season, with their sole win coming against Indiana State in Week 1. The team is scoring just 20.2 points per game, while allowing 36.9. And they haven’t been competitive against an opponent with a pulse, aside from Illinois, Walters’ former/employer.
Oddly enough, Purdue has struggled immensely despite having two of the better duos in the Big Ten at two high(er)-profile positions. Running backs Devin Mockobee and Reggie Love III have joined forces to produce nearly 1,000 total yards, while hybrid edge defenders Kydran Jenkins and Will Heldt have combined for 10.5 sacks.
So who knows, maybe the Boilermakers will turn this weekend’s game with the Buckeyes into a competitive one… Even though they shouldn’t. Especially since it’s being played in The Shoe, as opposed to Ross-Ade Stadium AKA the House of Horrors. OSU fans, you know what I’m talking about.
Here are a few more things you should know about the Purdue Boilermakers:
Purdue University sends a lot of folks to space. Maybe not directly, but more than one-third of all NASA’s crewed space missions have included at least one Purdue graduate as a crew member. Famous Boilermakers-turned-astronauts include Neil Armstrong and Gus Grissom.
The school’s nickname/mascot is, sadly, not a reference or nod to the pairing of whiskey and beer. If you want to experience a night you’ll never remember, I suggest knocking back a few boilermakers with the shot dropped directly into the beer. I’m a Jack Daniels and Bud heavy guy, but any pairing of whiskey and beer will do.
Anyway, the Purdue Boilermaker(s) is a nod to a certain type of big, burly skilled tradesperson. Prior to adopting the current moniker, Purdue athletes were called pumpkin-shuckers (I might have stuck with that one), railsplitters, and cornfield sailors, among other nicknames.
Photo By Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
Purdue was a founding member of the Big Ten, along with the University(s) of Chicago, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Northwestern.
Purdue is one of only two college football programs to have produced three Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks… Seriously. The school/program even went as far as to trademark the nickname/term “Cradle of Quarterbacks”, thinking people might actually refer to it as such for years to come. But I think the term kind of – or definitely should have – died out at the conclusion of Drew Brees’ college career.
Speaking of QBs, Walters and his staff may unearthed a hidden gem in Ryan Browne. Browne is a redshirt freshman who began the season as Hudson Card’s backup. But when the latter was forced to miss the Boilermaker’s game at Illinois, Browne sprang into action… Or was forced into it. Either way, he did not disappoint.
In fact, Browne played out of his mind. QB55 in 247Sports’ 2023 recruiting rankings accounted for 415 total yards and three TDs against the Fighting Illini, finishing the game with a 203.3 passer rating while helping his team drop 49 points on one of the better defenses in the Big Ten.
Browne’s brilliant performance seemed to come out of nowhere, as he then failed to impress (putting it mildly) against Oregon. But if nothing else, he earned a right to see the field for Purdue. This weekend’s visiting team has since experimented with playing both Card and Browne, something that Ohio State’s coaching staff must consider when devising their defensive strategy.
The Boilermakers have an edge rusher named Shitta Sillah. And frankly, that’s just an amazing name. The Boston College transfer is definitely a First Team All-Name All-American.
Mockobee, Jenkins, and Dillon Thieneman are really good players stuck on a really bad not so good team. To be fair and honest, there are several talented players on this Purdue team. But the offensive line gives up too many sacks, the passing game in general is not good, and the Boilermakers’ defense doesn’t force turnovers.
Individual players can win individual matchups, but it takes more than a few studs to win games in the Big Ten.
Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images
Purdue has never beaten Ohio State in The Shoe. However, the Boilermakers are an impressive and surprising 9-5 against the Buckeyes in Ross-Ade. So seriously, and with all due respect, f*ck that place.