Purdue schedule analysis: Early look at 2023 slate
100 days remain until a new era of Purdue football begins. After Jeff Brohm’s six-year tenure brought success back to West Lafayette, it’s now Ryan Walters’ turn to guide the Purdue program. Let’s take a peek at the 2023 schedule and some of the more significant games on the Boilermakers’ calendar.
Toughest non-conference game
Purdue finally makes the return trip to Virginia Tech after the Hokies defeated the Boilermakers in Ross-Ade Stadium back in 2015. Much has changed for each program since the 51-24 Virginia Tech win, as the once-mighty Hokies limped to a 3-8 record last season in Brent Pry’s first season. In fact, the Hokies have missed a bowl game in two of the last three seasons. Regardless, a trip to play at Lane Stadium remains worrisome. Purdue’s non-conference schedule offers three matchups which figure to come down to the wire. But in this one, the crowd of Ross-Ade Stadium can’t give the Boilermakers a lift.
Toughest Big Ten game
The last time Purdue played in The Big House, Danny Hope and Brady Hoke duked it out as the head coaches of each program. The Wolverines return a strong core of their team from 2022, which ran through the Big Ten as an undefeated conference champion before an upset loss to TCU in the College Football Playoff semifinal. Purdue hung with Michigan in the first half of the Big Ten Championship Game last December. But while the Michigan roster remains fairly in tact, Purdue’s roster will hardly resemble the crew that won the West. The draw from the East certainly didn’t do Purdue any favors, as it faces both Michigan and Ohio State in the same season for the first time since 2012.
Who the Boilermakers don’t play
Purdue avoids the following Big Ten East teams: Maryland, Michigan State, Rutgers and Penn State. Purdue lost to Penn State in the season opener a season ago, but it did pull off a nice road win at Maryland in October. In a memorable triumph, Purdue defeated third-ranked Michigan State in November 2021. The Boilermakers haven’t seen Rutgers since December of 2020; a program Purdue has yet to beat.
Easiest game
Dare one say that a rivalry game may appear the easiest on the schedule? After reaching rare heights in 2020, Indiana’s last two seasons took a downward turn early. The Hoosiers have won just six of their last 24 games, including both matchups with Purdue in that time-frame. Though Hoosier head coach Tom Allen received a large contract following the 6-2 campaign in 2020, his name appears on many “hot seat” lists. If things don’t go well early on for Indiana, what type of energy will it bring to the battle for the Old Oaken Bucket?
Toughest stretch
The first four games of Big Ten season could present a daunting stretch for Purdue. Conference play opens under the lights on Friday, September 22, against Wisconsin, which Purdue last defeated two decades ago. Though the Luke Fickell-led Badgers may look slightly different, their physicality has given Purdue fits in recent years. Then, Illinois comes to town, as Ryan Walters faces off against his previous squad. Following the Cannon Game, Purdue will play its third-straight physically-minded program when it travels to Kinnick Stadium to take on Iowa. After all of that? Ohio State and its plethora of elite talent will arrive in West Lafayette. If Purdue can find just one win in this stretch, it may feel like a moral victory.
Factoid
Purdue’s season-opener will mark the first meeting between the Boilermakers and Fresno State. Among current members of the Mountain West Conference, the Bulldogs will become the third team to take on Purdue. In 2016 and 2019, Purdue split a home-and-home series with Nevada, and the 2006 regular season ended with a trip to Hawaii.
Best chance to be upset
Though Fresno State may be Purdue’s only non-Power Five conference opponent this season, it’s no cupcake game to open the season. Head coach Jeff Tedford built his reputation during a strong run at Cal, notably coaching Aaron Rodgers, and now sits in year two of his second tenure at Fresno State. The Bulldogs notched 10 or more wins in four of the past six seasons. During that time, the Bulldogs took Power Five opponents to the wire multiple times and pulled a pair of upsets against UCLA. Purdue must come out strong in the opener to avoid a disappointing start to the season.
Best chance to pull an upset
In a battle of first-year head coaches, Matt Rhule and Nebraska enter the season with a higher projected win total (6) than Purdue (5.5), per DraftKings. Plus, the Boilermakers must travel to Lincoln this year, so the Huskers project as a favorite in this game. Purdue’s taken this matchup in four of the past five seasons, but both programs enter 2023 with several question marks. In the words of former Husker head coach Scott Frost, it’s a winnable game.
Must win
Though the “one game at a time” line often comes across as cliche, Purdue can’t look past Fresno State in week one. Should Purdue win, Boilermaker fans will raise their postgame Baltimore Zoos to toast to the Walters Era starting with a win. With a loss, Purdue’s path to a bowl will seem more treacherous, with 11-straight Power Five games to follow.
Bye week
Week 8 will mark Purdue’s siesta, coming at a much-needed time following the tough stretch mentioned above. Two straight road trips await the Boilermakers after the bye, though they close the season with a pair of games where they project as favorites: Northwestern and Indiana.
2023 Purdue schedule
DateOpponentSeptember 2Fresno State September 9at Virginia Tech September 16Syracuse September 22Wisconsin September 30Illinois October 7at Iowa October 14Ohio State October 28at Nebraska November 4at Michigan November 11Minnesota November 18at Northwestern November 25Indiana
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