Purdue Boilermakers 2026 Football Schedule Breakdown, Predictions and Prop Bets

The Purdue Boilermakers enter the 2026 college football season looking for tangible progress in Year Two under head coach Barry Odom.

Purdue finished 2-10 during Odom’s first season in West Lafayette and went 0-9 in Big Ten play. The Boilermakers opened 2025 with victories over Ball State and Southern Illinois before losing their final 10 games. Despite the record, Purdue became more competitive during portions of the season, losing by seven points to Minnesota, three to Rutgers and five at Michigan.

The rebuilding process continued aggressively during the offseason.

Odom and his staff added 32 players through the transfer portal, producing a class ranked No. 24 nationally and fourth among Big Ten programs by On3. Twenty of those transfers came from Power Four programs. Combined with the incoming recruiting class, Purdue added more than 50 new players to reshape one of the youngest and least experienced rosters in the conference.

There is also important continuity at quarterback.

Ryan Browne returns after starting all 12 games in 2025. Browne completed 58.9 percent of his passes for 2,153 yards and nine touchdowns while rushing for 206 yards and four scores. He produced three 300-yard passing performances, joining Drew Brees, Kyle Orton and Curtis Painter as the only Purdue quarterbacks since 1995 to accomplish that during the opening five games of a season.

Linebacker Charles Correa returns after recording 96 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. Wide receiver De’Nylon Morrissette is also back after missing the entire 2025 season because of injury. Odom’s first Purdue team produced seven All-Big Ten selections, including linebacker Mani Powell, who led the conference in tackles during Big Ten games.

The problem is the schedule.

Purdue was selected 18th and last in the 2026 Big Ten preseason media poll. The Boilermakers will face five opponents ranked in the preseason Coaches Poll: No. 5 Notre Dame, No. 6 Indiana, No. 17 Penn State, No. 19 Washington and No. 22 Iowa.

There are reasons for optimism, however.

Purdue plays seven games at Ross-Ade Stadium and five of its first seven games at home. The Boilermakers also avoid preseason No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Oregon, No. 14 USC and No. 16 Michigan.

For a program coming off back-to-back difficult seasons, that creates opportunities.

Purdue may not be ready to compete for the Big Ten Championship, but doubling last season’s win total and pushing toward bowl eligibility would represent meaningful progress.

Purdue Boilermakers 2026 Football Schedule

Date Opponent Location Time and TV

Friday, Sept. 4 Indiana State Ross-Ade Stadium7 p.m., BTN

Saturday, Sept. 12 Wake Forest Ross-Ade Stadium Noon, FS1

Saturday, Sept. 19 at UCLA Rose Bowl 11 p.m., BTN

Saturday, Sept. 26 Notre Dame Ross-Ade Stadium TBA

Saturday, Oct. 3 at Illinois Memorial Stadium TBA

Saturday, Oct. 10 Minnesota Ross-Ade Stadium TBA

Friday, Oct. 16 Washington Ross-Ade Stadium 8 p.m., FOX

Saturday, Oct. 24 Bye Week——

Saturday, Oct. 31 at Penn State Beaver Stadium TBA

Saturday, Nov. 7 Maryland Ross-Ade Stadium TBA

Saturday, Nov. 14 at Iowa Kinnick Stadium TBA

Saturday, Nov. 21 Wisconsin Ross-Ade Stadium TBA

Saturday, Nov. 28 at Indiana Memorial Stadium TBA

Purdue’s opener was moved to Friday night, while the Wake Forest and UCLA kickoff times have also been finalized. The October 16 matchup with Washington will be played Friday night on FOX.

September 4: Indiana State

Purdue begins its second season under Odom with a Friday night matchup against Indiana State.

The Sycamores provide the most favorable opponent on the schedule.

Purdue should possess overwhelming advantages in roster size, athleticism and depth. More importantly, the matchup gives a rebuilt roster an opportunity to develop chemistry before the competition becomes considerably more difficult.

Browne should benefit from entering the season as the established starting quarterback rather than competing for the position throughout camp.

The offensive priority should be establishing rhythm. Purdue struggled to consistently finish drives during 2025, and an improved offense must become more efficient in the red zone.

Defensively, the Boilermakers should use their deeper transfer-heavy roster to create pressure and rotate players.

Purdue cannot simply win this game.

The Boilermakers need to control it.

Difficulty level: Low

September 12: Wake Forest

Purdue remains home to face Wake Forest.

The programs have played five times, with Purdue winning the most recent meeting 16-10 in Winston-Salem in 2003.

This may be the most important game of September.

Wake Forest is a Power Four opponent but does not carry the talent level of Notre Dame or Purdue’s top Big Ten opponents. That makes the Demon Deacons the type of team Purdue must begin defeating if it hopes to return to bowl contention.

Ross-Ade Stadium provides an important advantage.

A victory would likely send Purdue to UCLA at 2-0 and immediately create optimism around the rebuild.

A loss would place substantial pressure on the Boilermakers because Notre Dame arrives one week after the trip to California.

Browne’s experience could be decisive in a competitive fourth-quarter game.

Purdue should have enough improved depth to win, but this is far from automatic.

Difficulty level: Moderate

September 19: at UCLA

Purdue begins Big Ten play with its longest road trip of the season.

The Boilermakers travel more than 2,000 miles to Pasadena and will not kick off until 11 p.m. Eastern Time.

Purdue and UCLA have not played since 1980.

The travel and late start create unusual challenges.

Purdue must adjust its preparation schedule and avoid allowing the time-zone change to affect its energy during the second half.

From a competitive standpoint, however, UCLA represents one of Purdue’s better opportunities to earn a Big Ten road win.

The Bruins were selected 13th in the preseason Big Ten media poll, five positions ahead of Purdue but well below the conference’s top contenders.

This matchup should provide a useful measuring stick for Odom’s rebuild.

If Purdue has improved enough to move out of the bottom of the conference, this is the type of game it needs to make competitive.

Difficulty level: Moderate to high

September 26: Notre Dame

The Shillelagh Trophy rivalry returns to Ross-Ade Stadium.

Unfortunately for Purdue, Notre Dame begins the season ranked No. 5 nationally and enters 2026 with legitimate College Football Playoff and national championship expectations.

Notre Dame defeated Purdue 56-30 in South Bend last season.

The 2026 game shifts to West Lafayette, which should create one of the largest and most energetic crowds at Ross-Ade Stadium.

Purdue needs to turn the rivalry atmosphere into an advantage.

The Boilermakers cannot allow Notre Dame to establish control immediately along the line of scrimmage. Keeping the game within one possession into the second half would allow the crowd to become a factor.

Browne must also protect the football.

Notre Dame possesses too much talent for Purdue to survive multiple turnovers or repeated short fields.

An upset would be one of the biggest wins in recent program history.

Realistically, remaining competitive would still demonstrate progress.

Difficulty level: Very high

October 3: at Illinois

Purdue travels to Champaign for the Cannon Trophy rivalry.

The Boilermakers and Fighting Illini meet annually in one of the Big Ten’s longest-running regional rivalries.

Illinois defeated Purdue 43-27 at Ross-Ade Stadium last season.

The Fighting Illini were selected ninth in the preseason Big Ten media poll and received votes in the national Coaches Poll, placing them in the middle of a deep conference.

Purdue should be more competitive than it was during the previous meeting, but winning on the road will require significant improvement defensively.

The Boilermakers cannot allow Illinois to establish an early rushing advantage and control possession.

This matchup also comes immediately after Notre Dame, creating the possibility of an emotional hangover.

Purdue needs to quickly transition from a nationally prominent rivalry game into one that may be more important to its realistic bowl hopes.

Difficulty level: High

October 10: Minnesota

Minnesota visits Ross-Ade Stadium for one of Purdue’s most important swing games.

The Golden Gophers defeated Purdue 27-20 in Minneapolis during 2025.

That result demonstrated how close Purdue was to earning its first Big Ten victory under Odom.

The rematch moves to West Lafayette.

Minnesota was picked 10th in the preseason Big Ten media poll, making the Golden Gophers another middle-tier opponent Purdue needs to challenge at home.

This may become one of the best opportunities for the Boilermakers to earn a conference victory.

Purdue must improve in late-game execution. The 2025 team frequently remained competitive into the second half before allowing close games to slip away.

Browne’s experience should help in those situations.

If Purdue is serious about doubling or tripling last season’s win total, Minnesota is a game it needs to circle.

Difficulty level: Moderate

October 16: Washington

Purdue hosts Washington on Friday night in one of the most intriguing games at Ross-Ade Stadium.

The Huskies begin the season ranked No. 19 nationally and were selected seventh in the Big Ten preseason media poll.

Washington dominated Purdue 49-13 in Seattle last season.

The 2026 matchup provides the Boilermakers with an opportunity to demonstrate how much the roster has improved.

Playing on Friday creates a short turnaround after Minnesota, but Washington must travel across multiple time zones.

That could help Purdue.

The Boilermakers need to find ways to pressure Washington’s quarterback without leaving their secondary vulnerable to explosive plays.

Offensively, Browne must be willing to take what the defense provides rather than forcing deep throws.

A night game at Ross-Ade has upset potential, but Washington remains a clear favorite on paper.

Difficulty level: Very high

October 24: Bye Week

Purdue’s only bye comes at an excellent point.

The Boilermakers will have played seven consecutive games, including four Big Ten contests and the Notre Dame rivalry game.

Odom’s revamped roster should benefit considerably from the extra recovery time.

The bye also arrives before Purdue’s most difficult road environment of the season: Penn State.

The coaching staff can use the week to evaluate whether the offensive and defensive changes made during the offseason have produced meaningful progress.

Purdue’s record entering the bye will be telling.

A 3-4 or 4-3 record would keep bowl hopes alive.

Anything worse would make the second half significantly more difficult.

October 31: at Penn State

Purdue comes out of the bye with a Halloween trip to Beaver Stadium.

Penn State begins the season ranked No. 17 nationally and was selected sixth in the preseason Big Ten media poll.

This is one of the schedule’s most difficult road games.

The bye helps Purdue prepare, but Beaver Stadium remains one of college football’s most intimidating environments.

Purdue must prevent Penn State’s defensive front from dominating obvious passing situations.

Establishing any consistent running game would reduce the pressure on Browne and shorten the contest.

Defensively, the Boilermakers need to prevent explosive plays and force Penn State to sustain long drives.

The matchup is difficult enough that Purdue’s season should not be judged heavily on the result.

The more important issue will be how the Boilermakers compete.

Difficulty level: Very high

November 7: Maryland

Purdue returns home for its Homecoming matchup against Maryland.

This may be the single most important game on the schedule from a bowl-eligibility perspective.

Maryland was selected 15th in the preseason Big Ten media poll, only three positions ahead of Purdue.

The programs have not met since Purdue earned a 31-29 road victory over the Terrapins in 2022 during its run to the Big Ten West championship.

Unlike Notre Dame, Washington, Penn State, Iowa and Indiana, this is an opponent Purdue can reasonably expect to defeat if its rebuild is progressing.

Homecoming should also produce one of the better crowds of the season.

Purdue needs to establish control early and avoid allowing Maryland’s offense to create confidence through explosive plays.

A victory could become essential if the Boilermakers are still pursuing six wins.

Difficulty level: Moderate

November 14: at Iowa

Purdue travels to Kinnick Stadium to face preseason No. 22 Iowa.

The Hawkeyes were selected eighth in the Big Ten preseason media poll.

Iowa represents a difficult stylistic matchup.

The Hawkeyes traditionally play disciplined defense, protect field position and force opponents to execute patiently.

Purdue cannot afford turnovers.

Browne may need to string together long possessions rather than relying on explosive plays, while special teams could become especially important.

The atmosphere at Kinnick Stadium adds another challenge.

Purdue will need its defensive front to keep the game low scoring and give the offense opportunities in the fourth quarter.

An upset is possible, but Iowa should be favored.

Difficulty level: High

November 21: Wisconsin

Purdue concludes its home schedule against Wisconsin.

The Badgers were selected 12th in the preseason Big Ten media poll, making this a more manageable matchup than Washington or Notre Dame.

The challenge is history.

Wisconsin has dominated Purdue for more than two decades, turning what was once a competitive series into one of the most one-sided matchups on the Boilermakers’ schedule.

The 2026 game provides Purdue with an opportunity to begin changing that narrative.

Playing at Ross-Ade Stadium should help.

Depending on Purdue’s record, this could also become a crucial bowl-eligibility game.

The Boilermakers need to handle Wisconsin’s physicality along both lines and prevent the Badgers from controlling the clock.

This is winnable, but Purdue must prove it can consistently defeat teams from the middle of the conference.

Difficulty level: Moderate to high

November 28: at Indiana

Purdue ends the regular season against the defending national champions.

Indiana begins 2026 ranked No. 6 in the preseason Coaches Poll after completing a perfect 16-0 season and winning the College Football Playoff National Championship.

The recent results in the Old Oaken Bucket rivalry have been brutal for Purdue.

Indiana defeated Purdue 66-0 in 2024 and followed that with a 56-3 victory in 2025. The Hoosiers have outscored the Boilermakers 122-3 during the past two meetings.

The 2026 matchup takes place in Bloomington.

Historically, Purdue has still won five of the past eight meetings, but the balance of power has shifted dramatically during Indiana’s rise under Curt Cignetti.

For Odom, simply making this rivalry competitive again is important.

Purdue needs to demonstrate that its rebuilt roster can withstand Indiana’s speed and physicality.

If the Boilermakers somehow enter the game needing a victory for bowl eligibility, the stakes would become enormous.

An upset would instantly become the defining win of Odom’s tenure.

Difficulty level: Extremely high

Toughest Game: at Indiana

Notre Dame is ranked higher than Indiana by one spot in the preseason Coaches Poll, but the season finale in Bloomington is Purdue’s most difficult overall assignment.

Indiana is the defending national champion and has dominated Purdue by a combined 119 points during the previous two meetings.

The Hoosiers also have home-field advantage.

For Purdue, the primary goal is to make the rivalry look fundamentally different than it has during the past two seasons.

Toughest Home Game: Notre Dame

Notre Dame’s trip to Ross-Ade Stadium provides Purdue with its biggest home challenge.

The Fighting Irish enter the season ranked No. 5 and should once again compete for the College Football Playoff.

The rivalry and Shillelagh Trophy should produce a tremendous environment.

Purdue’s history as the “Spoilermakers” gives fans reason to believe an upset is always possible when an elite team visits West Lafayette.

The talent gap, however, remains substantial.

Toughest Conference Home Game: Washington

Washington begins the season ranked No. 19 and dominated Purdue last season.

The Huskies must travel to West Lafayette and play on a Friday night, creating a much more favorable setting for the Boilermakers.

If Purdue wants to produce a true signature upset in Big Ten play, this may be the opportunity.

Biggest Trap Game: Wake Forest

Wake Forest is not one of the highest-ranked opponents on Purdue’s schedule.

That makes the game even more important.

The Boilermakers could easily enter believing the home opener against Indiana State guarantees momentum. UCLA and Notre Dame then wait over the following two weeks.

Purdue cannot look beyond Wake Forest.

Losing this game would make reaching four or five victories considerably more difficult.

Biggest Swing Game: Minnesota

Minnesota represents the type of opponent Purdue must begin beating.

The Golden Gophers were selected 10th in the Big Ten preseason poll, while Purdue finished 18th.

Last season’s meeting ended with Purdue only seven points behind.

The rematch comes at Ross-Ade Stadium.

If Odom’s second team has genuinely improved, this is where it should begin showing up in the standings.

Most Important Stretch

Purdue’s season could be determined by the five-game sequence surrounding its bye:

• October 10: Minnesota
• October 16: Washington
• October 24: Bye
• October 31: at Penn State
• November 7: Maryland
• November 14: at Iowa

Minnesota and Maryland represent two of Purdue’s best opportunities for Big Ten victories.

Washington, Penn State and Iowa are all preseason Top-25 teams.

If Purdue can go 2-3 during those five games, it should remain on pace for meaningful improvement.

A 3-2 stretch would put bowl eligibility within reach.

Going 0-5 or 1-4 would likely produce another losing season.

Schedule Advantages

The greatest advantage is playing seven games at Ross-Ade Stadium.

Purdue opens with Indiana State and Wake Forest at home and plays five of its first seven games in West Lafayette.

That gives a transfer-heavy roster time to develop chemistry without constant travel.

The Boilermakers also avoid four of the Big Ten’s top five teams in the preseason media poll.

Ohio State, Oregon, USC and Michigan do not appear on the schedule. Purdue does face No. 3 Indiana, but avoiding four additional national contenders is extremely important.

Purdue also hosts several realistic swing games.

Minnesota, Maryland and Wisconsin all come to Ross-Ade Stadium.

If the Boilermakers win those three games, the path toward a four-, five- or potentially six-win season becomes much clearer.

The October 24 bye is another positive.

It comes after seven consecutive games and before the difficult trip to Penn State.

Schedule Concerns

The schedule is still difficult for a program picked last in the Big Ten.

Purdue faces five preseason Top-25 teams.

Notre Dame is No. 5, Indiana No. 6, Penn State No. 17, Washington No. 19 and Iowa No. 22.

Four of Purdue’s final six games are against teams selected in the top eight of the preseason Big Ten media poll.

The road schedule is another concern.

Purdue travels across the country to UCLA, visits rival Illinois, plays at Penn State and Iowa and finishes at defending national champion Indiana.

The opening seven-game stretch also comes without a bye.

Purdue’s roster should be deeper after the portal additions, but injuries could still expose weaknesses if they begin accumulating during September and October.

Purdue 2026 Schedule Grade: C+

Purdue’s schedule is difficult, but it is considerably more manageable than it might have been.

The Boilermakers avoid Ohio State, Oregon, USC and Michigan.

They also play seven games at Ross-Ade Stadium, including realistic victory opportunities against Indiana State, Wake Forest, Minnesota, Maryland and Wisconsin.

The negative side is obvious.

Notre Dame, Indiana, Penn State, Washington and Iowa are all preseason-ranked teams. Purdue also has five road games and must travel from West Lafayette to Los Angeles for its conference opener.

For a program picked 18th in the Big Ten, there are few easy conference victories.

Still, Odom has been given enough manageable games to demonstrate measurable improvement.

Purdue 2026 Record Prediction: 4-8

Purdue should be better than its 2-10 record from 2025.

The question is how much improvement will actually appear in the win column.

Indiana State should provide one victory.

Wake Forest, UCLA, Minnesota, Maryland and Wisconsin represent the six games most likely to determine the season.

Purdue probably needs to win at least three of those five swing games after Indiana State to reach four victories.

Notre Dame, Penn State, Iowa and Indiana appear to be the most difficult matchups, while Washington is another game in which the Boilermakers will likely be significant underdogs.

Illinois will also be difficult on the road.

A 4-8 overall record and 2-7 Big Ten mark is the most reasonable projection.

That would not produce a bowl appearance, but doubling the win total and finally ending Purdue’s conference losing streak would demonstrate real progress.

A 5-7 finish is attainable if Browne takes another step forward and Purdue gets immediate production from its Top-25 portal class.

Six victories and bowl eligibility would represent an outstanding Year Two achievement for Odom.

Purdue 2026 Season Prop Bets

The following betting angles are based on Purdue’s current regular-season win market and the structure of the 2026 schedule. Odds and availability can change before kickoff.

Prop Bet #1: Purdue Over 3.5 Regular-Season Wins

Purdue’s current season win total is 3.5. One sportsbook lists the over at even money and the under at -130, while other markets have offered approximately +120 on the over.

The market clearly expects another difficult season.

There are still enough opportunities to reach four victories.

Indiana State should be a win. Wake Forest, UCLA, Minnesota, Maryland and Wisconsin are all games Purdue can realistically compete in.

The Boilermakers do not need to upset Notre Dame, Penn State, Iowa or Indiana to cash the over.

Odom’s Top-25 portal class and Browne’s returning experience make four wins a reasonable target.

DraftKings

4.5/5

Tip: Purdue Over 3.5 Regular-Season Wins

• Seven Home Games
• Top-25 Portal Class
• Projected Four-Win Season

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Prop Bet #2: Purdue to Start the Season 2-0

Purdue opens with Indiana State and Wake Forest at Ross-Ade Stadium.

The Boilermakers should be substantial favorites against Indiana State.

Wake Forest represents a greater challenge, but Purdue has the home-field advantage and a returning starting quarterback.

Beginning 2-0 is especially important because the schedule immediately becomes more difficult with a trip to UCLA followed by Notre Dame.

Purdue should treat the first two games almost like must-win contests.

FanDuel

4.6/5

Tip: Purdue to Start the Season 2-0

• Back-to-Back Home Games
• Experienced Quarterback
• Difficult Stretch Follows

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Prop Bet #3: Purdue to Defeat Maryland

The November 7 Homecoming game may provide Purdue with its best late-season opportunity for a Big Ten victory.

Maryland was selected 15th in the preseason conference poll, only three positions ahead of Purdue.

The game is also at Ross-Ade Stadium.

Purdue receives a bye two weeks earlier and should have a good understanding of its offensive and defensive identity by November.

The Boilermakers defeated Maryland during their most recent meeting in 2022.

If Purdue is going to exceed its preseason expectations, this is the kind of game it needs to win.

Caesars

4.4/5

Tip: Purdue to Defeat Maryland

• Homecoming at Ross-Ade
• Similar Preseason Expectations
• Favorable Big Ten Opportunity

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Prop Bet #4: Purdue to Win at Least Two Big Ten Games

Purdue has not won a Big Ten game since 2023, but the schedule gives the Boilermakers several opportunities to end that drought.

UCLA, Minnesota, Maryland and Wisconsin all begin the season outside the top half of the preseason conference poll.

Three of those four games—Minnesota, Maryland and Wisconsin—are at Ross-Ade Stadium.

Purdue does not need to defeat Indiana, Penn State, Washington or Iowa to reach two conference victories.

The roster should be deeper and more athletic in Odom’s second season.

A 2-7 conference record is our projection.

BetMGM

4.5/5

Tip: Purdue to Win at Least Two Big Ten Games

• Three Winnable League Games at Home
• Improved Portal Talent
• Projected 2-7 Big Ten Record

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Conclusion

Purdue’s 2026 football season should be evaluated differently than seasons during which the Boilermakers expected to compete for a Big Ten championship or bowl positioning.

This is still a rebuild.

Barry Odom inherited a program coming off a one-win season and improved that total to two victories during his first year. Purdue remained winless in Big Ten play, but the Boilermakers became competitive in several games that might previously have turned into blowouts.

Year Two needs to produce more.

Ryan Browne provides valuable continuity at quarterback after starting every game last season. Correa and Powell give the defense proven production at linebacker, while Morrissette’s return should strengthen the receiving corps.

Most importantly, Odom has dramatically reshaped the roster.

Purdue’s 32-player transfer group ranked among the top 25 nationally and fourth in the Big Ten. Twenty transfers arrived from Power Four programs.

The schedule gives those newcomers an opportunity to make an immediate difference.

Indiana State should provide a favorable opener. Wake Forest represents an important early swing game. UCLA gives Purdue an opportunity to earn a conference road win before Notre Dame arrives in West Lafayette.

The middle of the schedule will determine whether bowl eligibility remains realistic.

Minnesota and Maryland are important home games, while Wisconsin gives Purdue another winnable matchup late in November.

The ranked opponents present a different challenge.

Notre Dame, Washington, Penn State, Iowa and Indiana all begin the season in the national Top 25. Purdue would need a major upset to beat most of them.

The Old Oaken Bucket finale will carry particular emotional importance.

Indiana has outscored Purdue 122-3 over the previous two meetings and enters 2026 as the defending national champion. Making that rivalry competitive again would represent meaningful progress even before the Boilermakers are ready to consistently challenge the Hoosiers.

Purdue was picked last in the Big Ten preseason media poll.

That creates low external expectations but a clear internal standard.

The Boilermakers need to win the games they are supposed to win, steal several competitive conference matchups and show that Odom’s massive roster rebuild is creating momentum.

A 4-8 regular season with two Big Ten victories is the most realistic projection.

Five victories would represent a major step forward.

Six wins and a bowl appearance would make Purdue one of the Big Ten’s biggest positive surprises.

For the Boilermakers, 2026 is not about chasing a championship.

It is about becoming competitive again—and creating a foundation that makes championships a realistic goal in the future.