Purdue Football No Longer a Giant Killer

The Boilermakers have a history of upsetting good teams, but can they still do it?

Sep 21, 2024; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Purdue Boilermakers running back Devin Mockobee (45) runs the ball during the fourth quarter against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. / Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

The history of Purdue football does not include many seasons of contending for national championships. The Boilermakers have a different kind of history.

With an all-time record of 642-599, Purdue has a history of being average. That may sound harsh considering Purdue has had some good seasons here and there, but it has been true for the Boilermakers' entire history. They do not have a history of being giants, but they do have a history of killing them.

Since the AP Poll era began in 1936, Purdue has done damage as a heavy underdog. They have nine wins over AP No. 1 or No. 2 teams as an unranked team. They have even earned the nickname "Spoilermakers."

Their more recent success as David over Goliath includes blowing out No. 2 Ohio State 49-20 in 2018. They also beat No. 2 Iowa 24-7 and No. 3 Michigan State 40-29 in the 2021 season. However, those three victories came under former coach Jeff Brohm, who is now succeeding at Louisville.

Under current coach Ryan Walters, the Boilermakers have struggled mightily. They went 4-8 in 2023 and were blown out by every ranked team they played against. They faced No. 3 Ohio State and got killed by a score of 41-7. Later, No. 3 Michigan destroyed them 41-13. This season, Purdue is 1-2 and has not looked great. They were blown out by Notre Dame 66-7 just one week after the Fighting Irish lost to Northern Illinois.

Purdue has not lived up to their reputation as a giant killer in recent years. They do not strike much fear into anyone lately and are 10-point underdogs to Nebraska at home. The Huskers are not yet good enough to be called giants, but they are still a good team that is a big favorite on the road in West Lafayette.

In the past, being a road favorite at Purdue may have been a precarious position. But this year, the Huskers should not be worried about the Boilermakers. If the home team shows signs of life on Saturday, it will be the first time this year they have done so.

On the other hand, history has shown that anything can happen against Purdue.

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