What to know about Purdue football in 2026

What to know about Purdue football in 2026

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What to know about Purdue football in 2026

Not everyone can be winners in football, and Purdue faced that unfortunate realization in the 2025 season. The Big Ten is filled with talented squads from top to bottom, but the Boilermakers came in dead last. Making a College Football Playoff push is completely out of the question in all likelihood, so their focus this season should mainly be on becoming a competitive team. Rome wasn’t built in a day and Purdue won’t be either, which means they just need to take a step in the right direction and change the program’s momentum.

Here is a quick look at the Purdue Boilermakers heading into the 2026 season

Quick 2025 recap

Nov 28, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers quarterback Ryan Browne (15) throws a pass during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

  • Record: 2-10, 0-9 Big Ten
  • Bowl result: N/A

When the best part of the season is your first two games, you know something is wrong with your program. While first-year head coach Barry Odom, in from UNLV, may be partly to blame, the roster outlook was abysmal even before the season started.

The Boilermakers somehow improved on a lowly 2024 season, but it still was only good enough to secure a measly 2-10 record last year. They began the campaign 2-0, but quickly stumbled when faced with Big Ten play and ended up losing every game for the rest of the season. Purdue had a tightly contested late-season battle with Michigan that should inspire confidence in their ability to punch above their weight. However, they weren’t able to pull out the win and finished the season with a 56-3 dismantling at the hands of the Indiana Hoosiers.

This season, all Purdue fans can hope for is that it can’t get any worse than whatever happened last year. A successful season for the Boilermakers would be to just win a game in the conference.

Head coach: Barry Odom, 2nd season

Oct 11, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Purdue Boilermakers head coach Barry Odom looks on during the first half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

  • Record: 46-43 overall, 2-10 with Purdue

Purdue has never been a prestigious program, but clearly they are tired of being near the bottom of the Big Ten. Barry Odom improved UNLV’s fortunes greatly, so now he is being asked to revive a Boilermakers team that hasn’t had much hope in a couple of decades. He led the team to a one-win improvement last season, but the Purdue brass is hoping that they can make an even bigger jump this year. Odom may not be the cream of the crop in college coaching circles, but he has enough experience to aid a reeling team.

Offensive player to know: Antonio Harris, Running back

Purdue junior running back Antonio Harris runs to a stop after a play during the spring showcase on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind.

It’s no surprise that Purdue had an anemic offense last season given their record. They only averaged around 350 yards per game and two touchdowns per game, which was good for one of the worst scoring attacks in the nation. Antonio Harris was one of the lone bright spots on the team in 2025, rushing for more than 300 yards, while trailing in most games and being the backup. Now that former starter Devin Mockobee is gone from the team it should give Harris the chance to assume those touches and potentially blossom into a star.

Defensive player to know: Charles Correa, Linebacker

Sep 6, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers running back Malachi Thomas (24) celebrates a sack with Purdue Boilermakers linebacker Charles Correa (5) during the second quarter against the Southern Illinois Salukis at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

At the very least, Purdue have a stud on the defensive side of the ball in Correa, who originally played under Odom at UNLV. Last year, he proved his relentlessness in his motor and his sideline to sideline aggression. He logged 96 tackles, 7.5 TFLs and three sacks, ranking third on the roster in tackles. To top it all off, he earned All Big Ten Honorable mention honors in only his sophomore season. if Correa can become even more of a leader, chances are the Boilermakers have a defensive gem on their hands.

Does Penn State face Purdue in 2026?

Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback Antoine Belgrave-Shorter (23) and Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback Cam Miller (5) defend the pass intended for Purdue Boilermakers wide receiver CJ Smith (9) Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, during the NCAA football game at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. Penn State Nittany Lions won 49-10.

Yes, the Nittany Lions take on the Boilermakers on October 31 at Beaver Stadium. Penn State is currently leading the all-time series 17-3-1 and thoroughly dominated them the last time they played, 49-10 on November 16, 2024.

Full 2026 Purdue football schedule

Nov 18, 2023; Evanston, Illinois, USA; A detail view of a Purdue Boilermakers helmet on the sideline during a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field.

Home games are in all CAPS.

  • September 4 (Friday) vs. INDIANA STATE
  • September 12 vs. WAKE FOREST
  • September 19 at  UCLA*
  • September 26 vs. NOTRE DAME
  • October 3 at Illinois*
  • October 10 vs. MINNESOTA*
  • October 16 (FRIDAY) vs. WASHINGTON*
  • October 31 at Penn State*
  • November 7 vs. MARYLAND*
  • November 14 at Iowa*
  • November 21 vs. WISCONSIN*
  • November 28 at Indiana*

“*” designates Big Ten Conference game

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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: What to know about Purdue Boilermakers football in 2026

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