What was that?
Purdue walked into Week 6 and absolutely blew the doors off Minnesota, turning a matchup that looked dangerous on paper into a 41-13 rout. That makes back-to-back controlled performances for the Boilermakers after last week’s game against Illinois, and it’s a jolt of real substance after the last few years of Purdue football.
Beating a good Minnesota team coming off big wins over Washington and Michigan was a shock. Doing it this convincingly was even more stunning.
The most striking part is that Purdue doesn’t just have one result to hang its hat on. The losses have come against Wake Forest, Notre Dame, and UCLA, and all three of those teams are likely to be in today’s top 25.
Wake’s lone loss came at home to a really damn good Miami team. So while the record still has a long way to go, Purdue is clearly not the same old Purdue.
Right now, the Boilermakers might even be somewhat good.
And the next stretch suddenly looks inviting. Purdue now gets two teams that opened the season in the top 25 but have fallen hard and might be fraudulent, followed by Maryland, who is busy being Maryland this year. That leaves open the possibility of five straight wins, which is absurd.
Against Minnesota, the offense looked lethal. The defense, the unit that has taken the most heat, has now allowed just 30 points over the last two weeks, and 14 of those came after the game was already well in hand. The Boilermakers also now own the largest swath of land in CFB Imperialism by land area.
Purdue’s rise sits near the top of a Week 5 Power Rankings that still has Indiana holding the throne. The Hoosiers stayed at No. 1 after a 20-17 win over Nebraska, stretching their winning streak to 22 straight. A massive game against Ohio State is waiting.
The Buckeyes remain right behind them after handling Maryland 45-16 without much fuss. That one sets up an important test against Indiana, who stymied Ohio State last year.
UCLA continues to climb after its 17-15 win over Oregon. The Bruins are now 5-0 and, with a very favorable finishing slate ahead, have suddenly put themselves in a strong spot. Iowa also moved up after a 41-24 win over Washington in Seattle, a bounce-back performance that pushed the Hawkeyes over 40 points for the third time in six games.
Nebraska dropped after letting Indiana slip away in a 20-17 loss. The Huskers had the Hoosiers on the ropes but couldn’t finish, turning what could have been a major lift into another painful close defeat.
USC stayed in the mix after beating Penn State 31-23. For now, the Trojans look like a fringe playoff team, though back-to-back games against Ohio State and Indiana loom. Northwestern also held its ground after blasting Ball State 45-14, though the margin was softened by the possibility that Ball State might be the worst FBS team in the country.
Oregon took one of the biggest hits after falling 17-15 to UCLA. With all the preseason noise around the Ducks, they’re now in danger of missing the playoff and need to be careful next against Nebraska.
Minnesota, meanwhile, slid after getting steamrolled by Purdue 41-13. The Gophers may have been comfortable with 2-1 in Big Ten play, but the way they got there is the surprise.
Wisconsin sat out the week and remains unbeaten in conference play, though that will be tested this week at UCLA. Illinois moved up after surviving Michigan State 38-37 in overtime in East Lansing. Washington, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, and Maryland all occupy the lower half of the rankings after losses, a bye, or both, with Michigan still stuck in wait-and-see mode.
For Purdue, though, the story is simple: this was a very pleasant surprise. The Boilermakers aren’t just surviving. They’re playing really well.
In Other News...
Purdue Just Delivered The Breakthrough Fans Needed To See
Purdue finally gave its fans something to build on in a first half that looked far more complete than what they had been getting. The Boilermakers were in control against Minnesota from the start, taking a 20-3 lead into halftime behind steady work from quarterback Ryan Browne and a ground game that kept the pressure on the Gophers. The defense did its part, too, holding Minnesota to just a field goal before the break and coming up with a timely takeaway to keep the margin comfortable.
Fame Ijeboi was at the center of it, giving Purdue a reliable punch in the backfield and helping the Boilermakers stretch the lead once the game moved into the second half. Minnesota did answer with a quick scoring drive to trim the gap, but this was still the kind of performance Purdue has been searching for, one that showed balance, energy and, for a while, a little separation. The only question now is whether the Boilermakers can turn that first half into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Purdue Just Gave Fans A Reason To Believe Again
Purdues Big Ten home opener was the kind of reset performance fans have been waiting for, a 41-13 win over Minnesota that never really felt in doubt. The Boilermakers controlled the game from the start, leaned on a productive ground attack and stayed efficient whenever they got near the goal line, turning six red-zone trips into five touchdowns.
Ijeboi was the centerpiece of it all, delivering a career-best effort with 195 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a breakout outing that gave Purdue a steady tone on offense. The defense did its part too, holding Minnesota to just 25 rushing yards and making the Gophers play well behind schedule for most of the afternoon, a formula that offered a much cleaner glimpse of what this team can be when everything is clicking. [Read more 🡒]
Floridas Playoff Hype Is Fading Faster Than Gators Fans Expected
Week 6 brought a noticeable shakeup in ESPNs FPI ratings, and Purdue was among the teams that benefited most from a strong showing. In a week when Notre Dame moved to No. 1 and familiar names like LSU and Oregon stayed in the top 10 despite losses, the Boilermakers climbed after their latest win and joined Louisville and USC among the biggest movers.
For Purdue, the rise is a reminder that the model is starting to notice the recent momentum, even if the bigger picture still leaves work to do. The Boilermakers are gaining ground in the numbers, but the path ahead remains the real test as conference play tightens and the projections around them continue to shift. [Read more 🡒]