Predictions Revisited: How we did during the 2016-17 season

FROM 11/11: PURDUE WILL STRUGGLE EARLY

What "struggle" exactly means, we'll see, but Purdue will have some early hurdles as it redefines itself in the face of a harrowing non-conference schedule. The Boilermakers will attack that schedule, not just with the normal bumps that come from transitioning to new personnel and whatnot, but also short-handed, with two players (Ryan Cline and Basil Smotherman) suspended to start the season and another already lost to injury long-term.

The larger point, though, is that even at full strength, Purdue was going to have to go through some difficult transitions against a difficult schedule.

The Boilermakers are going to lose some games prior to the Big Ten season. This isn't going to be last season's 11-0 start. The hope will be, then, that whatever turbulence Purdue experiences in November and December pays some dividends come February and March.

HOW IT TURNED OUT: WRONG

Purdue lost two of its three marquee non-conference games, against Villanova and at Louisville, but managed a big win against Notre Dame, won the Cancun Challenge in dominant fashion and breezed through the rest of its non-conference games. The Boilermakers really only labored against one so-called underdog, struggling against Georgia State at home, before rallying at the end to win.

We suppose you could take some liberties with the word 'struggle' but it's difficult to call Purdue's non-conference season that.