Purdue had Wake Forest right where it wanted, then let the game slip through its hands in a 38-36 double-overtime loss at Ross-Ade Stadium.
The Boilermakers opened with exactly the kind of start they needed. An eight-play, 75-yard march ended with a 7-0 lead, and the drive showed off the offense Purdue had been talking about all offseason. Ryan Browne went 3-for-3 on the series, hitting Townsend on back-to-back throws before finding Burhenn, while Fame Ijeboi handled every run on the possession and finished it with a 3-yard touchdown.
But Wake Forest answered with a long, deliberate drive of its own, moving 73 yards in 13 plays and using 5:40 to tie it 7-7. From there, Purdue kept getting chances and kept leaving points behind.
A Purdue drive stalled at the 31, and freshman kicker Jacobo Echeverria Lozano missed a 49-yard field goal wide left. Wake Forest then took over and eventually forced Purdue to pay for that miss, driving into scoring range before settling for a field goal to go up 10-7. The Demon Deacons stretched the lead to 17-7 on the next scoring drive after Purdue failed to answer.
The Boilermakers had a chance to cut into it before halftime, and instead the red-zone sequence became a source of frustration. Purdue reached the Wake Forest 4-yard line with a timeout still available, but after two plays to De’Nylon Morrissette ended with him out of bounds, the Boilermakers settled for a field goal. That brought boos when the kicking unit came on and made it 17-10 at the break.
The biggest bright spot for Purdue was Ijeboi, who delivered the kind of all-purpose performance that can carry an offense. He finished with 27 carries for 114 yards and three touchdowns, plus six catches for 42 yards, earning Joe Tiller Memorial Player of the Game honors in the source’s view.
Even with that kind of night from Ijeboi, Purdue’s red-zone issues kept haunting it. The Boilermakers settled for field goals on four drives and converted only two of them, while leaving points on the field in situations that could have changed the outcome. A missed 48-yard attempt and the repeated inability to finish drives proved costly.
Still, Purdue fought back in the second half and had a path to win it late. The Boilermakers scored to get within three, then watched Wake Forest go three-and-out after what were described as bad play calls. Purdue drove back into scoring position again, but once more the red-zone decision-making went sideways and the Boilermakers had to settle for a field goal, forcing overtime.
Both teams scored touchdowns on their first overtime possessions, so the game moved to 2-point tries. Purdue got in the end zone again but failed on its conversion.
Then the defense had a chance to end it, forcing Wake Forest into a 3rd-and-15 at the 17-yard line. Purdue stayed back in coverage instead of bringing pressure, and Wake Forest converted after a heroic play that originally was ruled short of the line to gain.
That call was reversed on review, giving Wake Forest the first down. The Demon Deacons finished the drive with a touchdown and the conversion to escape 38-36, leaving Purdue stunned after thinking it had won.
In Other News...
Purdue Fans Still Have One Big Concern Heading Into Wake Forest
Purdues opening win over Indiana State did not exactly move the needle for a fan base still trying to get a read on what this team can be in 2026. A recent poll showed the most common grade for the Week 1 performance was a C, which fits the cautious mood around a program heading into a bigger test against Wake Forest and a betting line that already has people looking ahead to what comes next.
The more telling part is how little the opener changed the conversation. Most fans came away in a holding pattern, still waiting for a performance that sharpens the picture of Purdues season instead of simply getting the schedule started, while a smaller group either soured or brightened on the outlook after one game. Wake Forest gives the Boilermakers a chance to answer some of those lingering questions, but it also has a way of exposing which concerns were real and which ones were just early-season nerves. [Read more 🡒]
Purdue Faces An Early Barry Odom Test That Could Shape September
Purdues non-conference meeting with Wake Forest carries more weight than a typical September tune-up, especially this early in Barry Odoms tenure. The Boilermakers have already spent enough time sorting out their identity, and this is the kind of game that can help clarify whether the progress is real or still in its early stages. For players and coaches alike, it is a chance to show that the program is ready to handle a test that feels bigger than the calendar suggests.
Ryan Browne is among the names drawing attention as Purdue tries to steady itself and build something that lasts beyond one Saturday. A loss would not end the season, but it would leave the Boilermakers searching for answers and trying to avoid an early hole they can ill afford. A win would do more than brighten the record - it would give Odoms group a much better platform heading into the rest of September, with the pressure of proving it can carry this start forward. [Read more 🡒]
Purdue Defense Faces A Stress Test Wake Forest Just Set Up
Wake Forest arrived in Week 1 with an offense that looked more balanced than explosive, but Gio Lopez gave the Deacons plenty to build on. Against Akron, he pushed the ball around efficiently, leaned on a spread of receiving options and even added a little on the ground, while the offense as a whole showed enough rhythm to suggest it can be more than a one-man operation. The penalty issues were a reminder that cleaner opponents will demand more discipline, though, especially now that the schedule gets less forgiving.
Purdues defense is the unit about to find out how real that opening-week progress was. The Boilermakers just watched Ryan Browne slice through Indiana State in their own opener, and Wake Forests ability to create balance without leaning too hard on one phase could make this a more serious test than the box score from last week suggests. The Deacons were able to limit Akron to 305 total yards, but matching up with Purdue brings a different level of pace and pressure, and the next step for Wakes offense may tell plenty about both teams. [Read more 🡒]