Curt Cignetti has turned the Indiana-Purdue rivalry into a runaway, and Hoosier fans have every reason to be grinning.
Since arriving in Bloomington, Cignetti has guided Indiana to a 27-2 record and a National Championship season that stunned the college football world. Along the way, the Hoosiers knocked off Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship, Alabama in the Rose Bowl, Oregon in the Peach Bowl, and Miami (FL) in the title game.
That kind of run would be enough to make any fan base feel unstoppable. Against Purdue, though, Cignetti has made it personal in the best possible way for Indiana.
The Old Oaken Bucket has been one of college football’s oldest grudge matches since the teams first met in 1891, and the rivalry has now been played 127 times. Purdue still leads the all-time series, but Indiana’s recent surge under Cignetti has completely changed the feel of the matchup.
In Cignetti’s first season, Indiana didn’t just beat Purdue - it buried the Boilermakers 66-0 in Bloomington. The numbers told the whole story.
Indiana piled up 582 yards to Purdue’s 67, won the first-down battle 5-0, and forced five turnovers while giving the ball away none. It was as lopsided as rivalry games get.
That loss capped a one-win season for Purdue, which finished 0-9 in Big Ten play. Ryan Walters was fired after the game. Indiana, meanwhile, closed the regular season at 11-1 and earned a spot in the College Football Playoff.
The Hoosiers followed that up with another blowout last season, rolling to a 56-3 win that completed a perfect 12-0 regular season. Purdue finished 2-10 and went 0-9 in Big Ten play for a second straight year, while Indiana kept rolling all the way to a National Championship. Under Cignetti, the Hoosiers have outscored Purdue 122-3.
Before Cignetti took over, Indiana had dropped three straight and five of the previous six meetings with Purdue. That’s no longer the story. Now, the rivalry has become one more place where Indiana has seized control.
And there’s a chance the margin grows again in 2026. Indiana enters the season as a national title contender, with +800 odds to win it all on DraftKings Sportsbook, the fifth-shortest in the country. The Hoosiers’ win total is set at 10.5.
Purdue’s number looks much different. The Boilermakers’ win total is 3.5, the lowest in the Big Ten and among the lowest in the nation. Barry Odom is entering his second season in West Lafayette, and the challenge in front of him is clear.
This year’s Old Oaken Bucket game is scheduled for Saturday, November 28 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.
In Other News...
Sam Alexis Suddenly Feels Like More Than A Peru Addition
Sam Alexis landed in Peru as a late addition to Indianas trip for the FISU America games, a move that gave the Hoosiers a little more frontcourt insurance while they represent Team USA on an international stage. He was needed because Samet Yigitoglu was unable to play, and the timing mattered for a roster that is already operating with just 12 scholarship players, making every available big man more valuable on the road.
For coach Darian DeVries, Alexis is more than a fill-in on a summer trip. His presence gives Indiana a chance to mix and match the front line in ways it otherwise could not, including potentially sliding Aiden Sherrell to the four for more minutes. And with recent NCAA rule changes and legal wrangling creating fresh chatter around Alexis future, his role in Peru has only added to the intrigue surrounding what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
IU Fans Just Got Rare Treatment For The Nebraska Road Trip
Indiana fans heading to Lincoln for the October matchup with Nebraska are getting a rare bit of travel help, as United Airlines is putting a new nonstop roundtrip option on the board for that weekend. The added service links Indianapolis and Lincoln around the Indiana-Nebraska game, giving Hoosier supporters a cleaner path to one of the trickier road trips on the schedule.
The move is part of a broader push by United to meet college football travel demand this season, but it stands out for Indiana because not every away game is getting the same treatment. Washington, Rutgers and Michigan are still on fans to figure out the old-fashioned way, which makes this one-weekend flight feel like a small but notable perk for a fan base that has more reason than usual to travel. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Has One Major O Line Question Heading Into 2026
Indianas offensive line enters 2026 with a familiar kind of spring question: how to replace a veteran center and keep the interior steady. Pat Coogan is gone after moving on to the NFL, and the Hoosiers will lean on returning pieces Drew Evans and Bray Lynch, plus Wisconsin transfer Joe Brunner, to sort out the middle of the line as the offseason unfolds.
The good news for Indiana is that the room is not short on bodies or experience, with Austin Leibfried and Matt Marek also available as depth behind the projected starters. The bigger issue is fit, and the Hoosiers still have to determine which combination gives them the best chance to protect the quarterback and keep the run game on schedule when September arrives. [Read more 🡒]