Week 13: Purdue Boilermakers
Date & Time: Saturday, November 28 TBA
Venue: Memorial Stadium
TV: TBA
The Boilermakers at a Glance
Head Coach: Barry Odom
38th head coach in program history and entering his second season with the Boilermakers
Record at Purdue: 2-10 (0-9 in the Big Ten)
Overall Record: 46-43
History: Arrived in West Lafayette from UNLV, where he led the Rebels to reach double-digit wins for only the third time in program history (1974, 1984)
Series History vs. Indiana
Record: 77-44-6
Old Oaken Bucket: 63-34-3
Last Meeting: November 28, 2025
Returning Leaders
Passing: Ryan Browne (2,153 yards, 9 TDs, 179.4 yards per game)
Rushing: Antonio Harris (69 carries, 305 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs)
Receiving: Corey Smith (14 receptions, 237 yards, 1 TD)
Tackles: Charles Correa (totaled 96 tackles in 2025)
Boilermaker Names to Know
Fame Ijeboi, Running Back
Xavier Townsend, Wide Receiver
Ryan Browne, Quarterback
Hudauri Hines, Defensive Back
Boilermakers Preseason Predictions
Athlon: No. 18 in the Big Ten
Lindy’s: No. 17 in the Big Ten (No.77 nationally across FBS)
Phil Steele: No. 18 in the Big Ten
Sporting News: No. 18 in the Big Ten (Ranked No. 88 nationally across FBS)
SP+: No. 17 in Big Ten (Ranked No. 82 nationally across FBS)
Impact Newcomers for the Boilermakers
Fame Ijeboi, Running Back
Xavier Townsend, Wide Receiver
Curt Neal, Defensive Line
Boaz Stanley, Offensive Line
Biggest Questions Facing the Boilermakers
- Will Barry Odom be able to propel this team forward in year two, and will his coaching system translate to wins on the field, especially in Big Ten play?
- With leading rusher Devin Mockobee and top receiver Michael Jackson III gone, can incoming transfers Xavier Townsend and Fame Ijeboi generate enough productivity for the Purdue offense?
Purdue Program Preview
Following the 2025 season, the Boilermakers are coming off a 2-10 record and a last-place finish in the Big Ten. Head Coach Barry Odom will enter his second season with the Boilermakers, and many eyes are on him. It is difficult to turn around any struggling program, and Odom was hired in December of 2024 to do just that. Progress takes time, but as Odom enters his second year, expectations for success and winning games will rise.
Despite their record, Purdue saw a few bright spots for the future. Quarterback Ryan Browne was one of them. Browne settled into a starting role and demonstrated his dual-threat playing ability. He threw for 2,153 yards, totaled nine touchdowns, and four rushing touchdowns. As a second-year starter this season, Browne will be someone to watch as he gains more experience and confidence in the pocket.
Although a 2-10 record seems bleak from the outside (and perhaps it is), there were a few one-score games that could have gone either way for the Boilermakers, including games against Michigan, Rutgers, and Minnesota.
Purdue’s second-level defense showed flashes of strength a year ago, anchored by linebacker Charles Correa, who finished third on the team with 96 tackles. Heading into 2026, Correa stands as the Boilermakers’ top returning tackler and stable focal point in the middle of the defense.
Ahead of the 2026 season, the Boilermakers have landed in the Top 25 nationally in portal class with 32 new additions. Odom is clearly working on building a team and a foundation for success. With only seven returning starters for the Boilermakers, these new transfers will play a significant role in how this season unfolds, and all eyes are on Odom.
Offensive Preview
The 2026 Purdue offense will have a few new faces, including three running backs from the transfer portal. Fame Ijeboi from Minnesota, Jerrick Gibson from Texas, and Travis Terrell Jr from Jackson State will add much-needed depth to the running back room.
In 2025, the Boilermakers averaged 126.4 yards per game, with Devon Mockobee at the helm. With Mockobee gone, returner Antonio Harris will step up to the plate. In 2025, Harris averaged 305 yards per game and tallied 69 carries, with two rushing touchdowns. Harris will be fighting for that starting spot and has already proven to be a reliable ball carrier.
Ijeboi will also add talent to this group; he recorded 97 attempts for 441 yards during his 2025 season at Minnesota. Gibson provides another depth piece for the Boilermakers. In his 2025 season at Texas, Gibson tallied 37 attempts for 152 yards and one touchdown. Clearly, this running back room is filled with fresh talent, so ideally this group should be able to make an immediate impact. How quickly the transfers can adjust to Josh Henson’s scheme will dictate the ground game’s success and ultimately the team’s success.
Another transfer to take note of is wide receiver Xavier Townsend. Townsend arrived in West Lafayette from Iowa State, where he finished the year with 18 receptions for 243 yards, averaging 13.5 yards per reception. Townsend is likely to become a primary target for Browne over the middle, and his yards-after-catch ability will make him a threat for any defense.
Returner Corey Smith will also look for a larger role as a wideout. He completed last season with 14 receptions for 237 yards, averaging 16.9 yards per reception. Smith serves as a proven deep threat capable of stretching defenses, creating more opportunities underneath, while also delivering big plays downfield.
Since Odom began at Purdue, he has been working to build a stable offensive line, including adding offensive line coach Zach Crabtree. The 2026 group consists of returners and transfer portal additions. Left tackle Joey Tanona returns and started in all 12 games for the Boilermakers last season. Boaz Stanley, out of South Carolina, brings Power Four experience and will make an immediate impact. A transfer from Oklahoma State, Nuku Mafi adds experience and size to the right tackle position.
Quarterback Ryan Browne’s success hinges on the growth of this offensive line. With solid pass protection and running lanes, Browne will add another dimension to Purdue’s offense with his mobility and willingness to scramble when plays break down.
Defensive Preview
The defensive side of the ball is getting a fresh set of eyes in defensive coordinator Kevin Kane. However, Kane’s presence is familiar to Purdue fans, as he spent 2023-24 as the defensive coordinator for the Boilermakers. He spent 2025 at Minnesota and decided to return to West Lafayette under Barry Odom. In Kane’s first season at Purdue, his defense recorded 35 sacks, becoming the most since 2004 and the third most in program history. Now, in 2026, Kane is striving to repeat those statistics.
In 2025, the Boilermakers allowed 31.8 points per game, ranking 117th nationally. In pass defense, they allowed 241.7 YPG, ranking 18th in the Big Ten and 110th in the FBS. The Boilermakers struggled against physical rushing attacks last year, so the strength of the defensive line will be one focal point for them this year.
The secondary was also a weak spot for Purdue in 2025, as they allowed 241.7 yards per game. However, Odom has tried to attack this problem by adding Don Saunders, Jaden Mangham, John Slaughter, Justin Denson, and Dee Newsome. All transfer additions add much-needed length to the secondary, making it easier for them to go up and win the 50-50 ball, which is something Purdue struggled with a season ago.
Linebacker Charles Correa brings stability to the unit, and the depth behind him comes in the form of Illinois transfer Jojo Hayden and Penn State transfer Anthony Speca. Although Correa is a standout linebacker, the talent behind him will have to prove themselves.
This fall, Kane prioritizes generating a more disruptive pass rush up front while establishing more gap discipline against the run. At the interior defensive line, TJ Lindsey and Ian Jeffries are returning. Jeffries recorded 20 tackles, three tackles for loss, and one sack last season, becoming a significant contributor to this unit.
Illinois transfer Curt Neal should create problems up front. Neal tallied 61 career tackles, five tackles for loss, and 0.5 sacks. He will be an instrumental piece to anchor the interior gaps. Wisdom Simms is another transfer addition who tallied 22 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks in 2025 at NC Central. UCF transfer Rodney Lora is another player to keep an eye on. At UCF in 2025, Lora tallied 22 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and one sack. Georgia transfer Elo Modozie should provide an immediate pass-rushing spark for a defense that is looking to generate more attack.
Special Teams Preview
The special teams unit witnessed a few departures in the offseason, including kicker Spencer Porath and punter Jack McCallister, and a few returners will be looking to fill those gaps. Kicker Seth Turner will be looking to claim one of the starting spots, as he appeared in all 12 games in 2025 and totaled 53 kickoffs, resulting in 30 touchbacks. However, freshman Jacobo Echeverria Lozano is also entering the picture as a contender. According to 247Sports, Lozano is ranked No. 10 among all kickers.
Buffalo transfer Dylan Drennan will likely fill Jack McCallister’s shoes. In his freshman season at Buffalo, Drennan earned second-team All-MAC honors and averaged 44.8 yards per kick on 65 attempts. He pinned opponents inside their own 20-yard line 16 times.
Long snapper Luke Raab will return for the Boilermakers, marking stability for this group. Raab has handled 94 snaps across 12 games in 2025. He brings experience and consistency to a somewhat uncertain group.
Michael Jackson III handled the majority of the returns in 2025, and in his absence, Jackson State transfer Travis Terrell could take the lead. While at Jackson State, Terrell tallied over 340 kick return yards in 2025. Transfer Xaivier Townsend could also be a contender, as he tallied 46 returns for 445 yards over the course of his career.
2026 FIRST GLANCE PREVIEWS
Week Six: Nebraska Cornhuskers
Week Seven: Ohio State Buckeyes
Week Eight: Michigan Wolverines
Week Nine: Minnesota Golden Gophers
Week Eleven: USC Trojans
Week Twelve: Washington Huskies
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