Barry Odom’s rebuild at Purdue already comes with a familiar kind of pressure: prove the Boilermakers can get out of the basement. After two straight seasons without a Big Ten win, CBS Sports is still viewing West Lafayette through a pessimistic lens, projecting Purdue to go 3-9 in 2026.
Brad Crawford’s forecast has the Boilermakers beating Indiana State on Sept. 4, Wake Forest on Sept. 12 and Maryland on Nov.
- That would leave Purdue tied for last in the conference, with Maryland, Northwestern, Rutgers and Michigan State also projected to finish 1-8 in Big Ten play.
“The outlook is bleak for the Boilermakers despite expansive roster turnover, given a schedule that offers little breathing room,” he wrote. “Purdue is still in the early stages of a rebuild, and limited overall talent on both sides of the ball makes it difficult to consistently compete in the Big Ten. With multiple top-tier opponents on the slate, Purdue simply doesn't have the firepower yet to turn close losses into wins.”
But there’s a case to be made that Purdue can do better than three wins.
The biggest reason is the roster upgrade Odom and his staff put together. Purdue brought in a top-25 transfer portal class and made notable gains up front on both sides of the ball.
The running back room and wide receiver group are deeper and more experienced, and the secondary has more talent than it did a year ago. That kind of overhaul should at least give the Boilermakers a path to four wins.
The schedule helps, too. Purdue avoids Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon and USC, which takes some of the conference’s heaviest hitters off the board. The Boilermakers still have to deal with reigning national champion Indiana, plus Notre Dame, Penn State, Iowa and Washington, but the overall slate is lighter than what Purdue has faced in recent years.
There’s also the quarterback factor. Ryan Browne is entering his second full year as the starter after winning the QB1 job last season, and he should have a much better command of Josh Henson’s offense now that he’s had a full offseason with the current roster.
Put that together, and Purdue has enough to push into the four- or five-win range. That wouldn’t satisfy Odom in the long run, but it would still count as a meaningful step forward.
The swing factor may be the offensive line. Odom likes how much that group improved from last season, but it still includes several new faces, and chemistry matters. If that unit takes time to gel, Purdue’s offense could stall.
The opening stretch matters just as much. Purdue opens with Indiana State and Wake Forest at home before heading to the Rose Bowl for its Big Ten opener against UCLA.
A 3-0 start would make a five-win season feel very reachable. At minimum, the Boilermakers need to be 2-1 early to build momentum.
If they slip to 1-2, the schedule ahead - including Notre Dame, Illinois and Minnesota - could make the season unravel fast.
There’s also the question of Kevin Kane, whom Odom brought back as defensive coordinator. Kane ran the defense in 2024 under Ryan Walters, a year that went down as arguably the worst in program history.
That unit gave up 39.9 points and 452.7 yards per game, both worst in the Big Ten by a wide margin. Purdue needs Kane to turn that side of the ball into something serviceable.
If he can’t, the Boilermakers may have a hard time climbing past three wins.
In Other News...
Purdue May Have Found The Portal Piece Its Offensive Line Needed
Marques Easley arrived at Purdue with the kind of size and pedigree that can change how an offensive line looks, and the Boilermakers are already treating him like more than a depth add. After transferring from Georgia for the 2025 season, the guard has put himself into the conversation for a major role as Purdue reshapes its front under a new staff, with his physical tools and movement skills standing out enough to make him a natural fit inside.
The expectation now is that Easley could settle into the left side of the line and give Purdue a sturdier answer at a spot that matters in both pass protection and the run game. How quickly he develops under Zac Crabtree will go a long way toward determining whether the Boilermakers have found a real portal solution or just another promising piece still waiting to be fully tested. [Read more 🡒]
Purdue Volleyball Sends A Clear Message Heading Into 2026
Purdue volleyball will have a familiar and accomplished trio front and center when the Big Ten stages its 2026 Volleyball Media Days in Chicago. Grace Heaney, Dior Charles and head coach Dave Shondell are set to represent the Boilermakers at the Aug. 3 event, which will air on the Big Ten Network and offer an early look at the conferences top programs heading into the next season.
For Purdue, the selection says plenty about where the program stands after a strong 2025 campaign. Heaney and Charles were key pieces of that success, giving the Boilermakers proven production at a time when the conference spotlight is only getting brighter, and Shondells presence ensures the team will be represented by one of the Big Tens most established voices as the offseason conversation turns toward 2026. [Read more 🡒]