As any coach worth his visor and whistle will tell you: A schedule can make or break a team. Knowing that, let’s take a deep-dive look at Purdue’s 2020 slate, which has the Boilermakers (4-8 overall in 2019; 3-6 Big Ten) playing five of nine Big Ten games on the road.
Story continues below schedule
Toughest non-conference game: The visit from Memphis on Sept. 12 for the home opener will be daunting. Plus, the game comes after the Boilermakers will have opened at Nebraska. Yes, the Tigers saw head coach Mike Norvell leave to take the Florida State job and promoted assistant head coach/offensive line Ryan Silverfield. Still, Memphis welcomes back lots of talent led by QB Brady White. The Tigers are coming off the best season in school history (12-1), which ended with a trip to the Cotton Bowl vs. Penn State and saw Memphis win the American Athletic Conference. Make no mistake about it: This will be a stern test for the Boilermakers.
Toughest conference game: A trip to Michigan is never a treat. But that's what Purdue has on tap for Oct. 24 in what will be its first visit to the Big House since 2011. How rare are victories in Ann Arbor? The Boilermakers have one (2009) since 1966. Michigan has won nine of the last 11 meetings overall. Who can forget Jim Harbaugh's rant about Purdue's visitor dressing home during the Wolverines' trip to West Lafayette in 2017, the last time these schools met?
Who they don't play: The Boilermakers catch a break not playing Ohio State and Penn State. Also off the menu: Michigan State and Maryland.
Easiest game: It has to be Rutgers' visit on Oct. 10. The program appears to be on the rise under Greg Schiano, who is back for Act 2 after a successful run from 2001-11. But he has a long ways to go after the Scarlet Knights bottomed out the last four years by going 9-39. It will be Rutgers' first trip to Purdue.
Toughest stretch: Let's go with the month of November, which includes a season-ending four-game slate of games that could make or break the Boilermakers' season. It begins with a trip to Minnesota and ends with a visit to Indiana. In between, the Boilers play host to Wisconsin and Iowa. Purdue has lost two in a row to P.J. Fleck's Golden Gophers, getting eviscerated (41-10) in Dinkytown in 2018. Purdue has lost a stupefying 14 in a row to the Badgers and hasn't beaten Wisconsin in Ross-Ade Stadium since 1997. Iowa and Indiana each beat Purdue in 2019. The Boilermakers need to find a way to at least split these four games.
Best chance to be upset: Could be on Halloween, when Northwestern visits West Lafayette coming off a disappointing 3-9 season (1-8 Big Ten) that saw the Wildcats struggle mightily on offense. Purdue ended a five-game NU winning streak in the series last year in Evanston on a last-second field goal. The Boilermakers' last win in Ross-Ade vs. the Wildcats? It was way back in 2007, as Purdue has lost four in a row at home to Northwestern.
Story continues below photo
Best chance to pull an upset: Purdue could ambush Nebraska in the season-opener in Lincoln on Sept. 5, a game the Boilers figure to be an underdog in. Each team is coming off a losing season, looking to get on track. The Cornhuskers will be ultra motivated, having lost two in a row to the Boilermakers, including in Lincoln in 2018. Husker boss Scott Frost is 0-2 vs. Jeff Brohm.
Must win: There are several on the schedule ... Rutgers, at Indiana, Northwestern. But the visit to Illinois on Oct. 17 looms large to the Boilermakers' bowl hopes. It's this simple: Purdue can't lost to the Fighting Illini, which are coming off a bowl and dumped the Boilers last year in a rain-soaked game in West Lafayette.
Off week: It comes Oct. 3, after just four games. Purdue will have its three non-leagues (Memphis, Air Force, at Boston College) in the rear-view mirror and one Big Ten tilt (at Nebraska). The Boilermakers probably need to be at least 2-2. How likely are 4-0 and/or 3-1 marks? Purdue would appear to have a good chance for success coming out of the break, welcoming Rutgers and then playing at Illinois.
Membership Info: Sign up for GoldandBlack.com now | Why join? | Questions?
Follow GoldandBlack.com: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube
More: Gold and Black Illustrated/Gold and Black Express | Subscribe to our podcast
Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2020. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited.
