Kirk Barron's overall disdain for Indiana University dates back to a campus visit as a high school senior.

"Nobody talked to me," Barron said. "From that moment, I've just never liked anything about that school. Being a Purdue guy now just bumps that up more."

Needless to say, Barron never received an official scholarship offer from IU and the in-state revenge tour continues this weekend with his final regular season game in college. Barron experienced what he described as "relief" following the 31-24 victory at Ross-Ade Stadium over the Hoosiers last season. The victory marked the Boilermakers' first win in the rivalry since 2012, ending a rare recent trend of dominance by the Hoosiers. Since 1997, Purdue has won 14 of 21 when playing for the Old Oaken Bucket.

"That's huge for us as a program moving forward and I know for a fact what getting that Bucket back meant to the alumni and for us to get it back was a big thing," Barron said. "For us to keep it one more year is all about momentum. I want to leave that as a foundation for the younger guys as they take the next step next year."

Barron, a four-year starter at center for Purdue, doesn't have to look far to find several people in his life with ties to the Hoosiers, including his father. Barron said his dad, Kirk Barron Sr., received his MBA from IU and the Mishawaka native says he has several friends back home who root for the Hoosiers.

"My cousin went to IU and a lot of people from my high school went to IU but I just don't like that place at all," Barron said. "My hometown has big IU people."

As a native of Fort Wayne, JaMarcus Shephard can relate to Barron's angst over this in-state rivalry. The Boilermaker wide receiver coach said Tuesday he actually had a roommate and dorm at Indiana picked out before a late opportunity at DePauw.

"That was certainly going to happen but by the grace of God himself, I got the chance to go to DePauw University," Shephard said. "I do understand how this Purdue-Indiana thing runs deeply in this state. I learned about the Bucket early on in middle school because I had friends who rooted for either school and they didn't get along during this particular week."

Shephard understands what ownership of the Bucket means to both programs not only in bragging rights but also as second-year head coaches try to building foundations for their programs.

"Part of preseason goals beyond winning the division, conference and whatnot, it's our rivalry games that we talk about," Shephard said. "These games are very important to Coach Brohm and all these people who have been diehard fans throughout the first couple of games we got here."

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