How to Watch Purdue Football's Rivalry Game vs. Illinois
For a second straight week, Purdue is on the road. This weekend, the Boilermakers travel to Champaign to play Illinois, battling the Fighting Illini for the Purdue Cannon.
Purdue is looking to snap a four-game losing streak while Illinois is trying to build off its early-season success. The Boilermakers have had the Illini's number recently, winning each of the last four meetings and posting victories in seven of the last eight matchups.
Here's how you can watch and listen to Saturday's game between the Big Ten rivals.
How to watch Purdue Boilermakers vs. Illinois Fighting Illini
- Who: Purdue Boilermakers (1-4, 0-2 in Big Ten) vs. Illinois Fighting Illini (4-1, 1-1 in Big Ten)
- What: Big Ten Conference game/Rivalry game (Purdue Cannon)
- When: Saturday, Oct. 12 at 3:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill. (60,670)
- TV: Fox Sports 1
- TV announcers: Eric Collins (play-by-play), Spencer Tillman (analyst)
- Radio: Boilermaker Sports Network — WAZY 96.5 FM (Lafayette); WKJG 100.9 FM (Fort Wayne); WNDE 1260 AM (Indianapolis); WGBF 1280 (Evansville); View all listings: CLICK HERE
- Radio announcers: Tim Newton (play-by-play); Mark Hermann (analyst); Kelly Kitchel (reporter); Rob Blackman (pregame/halftime/postgame).
- Point spread: Illinois is a 22.5-point favorite over Purdue, via FanDuel.com.
- Purdue 2023 record: 4-8 overall, 3-6 in the Big Ten
- Illinois 2023 record: 5-7 overall, 3-6 in the Big Ten
- Series history: Purdue leads the all-time series 48-45-6
- Last meeting: Purdue and Illinois last played on Sept. 30, 2023, a 44-19 victory for the Boilermakers. Last year's game marked the first time Purdue coach Ryan Walters faced off against his former boss, Bret Bielema. Quarterback Hudson Card threw for 217 yards and two touchdowns while completing 18-of-26 passes. Three different Purdue running backs — Tyrone Tracy Jr., Devin Mockobee and Dylan Downing — all reached the end zone. The Boilermaker defense also limited Illinois to just two-of-13 on third-down attempts in the game. That victory marked Purdue's fourth straight in the rivalry.
- Weather: According to weather.com, the high in Champaign is 83 degrees and the low is 55 degrees. At kickoff, the predicted temperature is predicted to be 83 degrees and there is 0% chance of rain.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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Meet the coaches
Ryan Walters, Purdue: Walters is in his second season as the coach at Purdue, coming off a 4-8 campaign in 2023. Although Walters had stops as a defensive coordinator at Missouri and Illinois, he acknowledged that he met some challenges in his first season as the leader of a program. Throughout the offseason, Walters said he "learned a lot" in his first year with the Boilermakers. Walters' second season has gotten off to a roller coaster start, with Purdue defeating Indiana State 49-0 in the opener and falling 66-7 to Notre Dame and Oregon State 38-21 in the first three games of the 2024 campaign. Purdue enters Saturday's game 0-2 in Big Ten play with a 28-10 loss to Nebraska and a 52-6 loss to Wisconsin.
Bret Bielema, Illinois: Bielema is in his fourth season at Illinois and has accumulated a 22-20 record during his time in Champaign. His best year came in 2022, leading the Fighting Illini to an 8-5 record and having his team in the hunt for a Big Ten West title until the final week of the regular season. Bielema had a lot of success in the Big Ten while he was the coach at Wisconsin from 2006-12. He posted a 68-24 record while in Madison, guiding the Badgers to three straight conference championships from 2010-12. Bielema then had a five-year run at Arkansas, where he had a 29-34 record and had the Razorbacks playing in three bowl games in five seasons. Overall, Bielema has a 119-78 record as a head coach.
Purdue 2024 football schedule
- Aug. 31: vs. Indiana State (W, 49-0)
- Sept. 7: BYE
- Sept. 14: vs. Notre Dame (L, 66-7)
- Sept. 21: at Oregon State (L, 38-21)
- Sept. 28: vs. Nebraska (L, 28-10)
- Oct. 5: at Wisconsin (L, 52-6)
- Oct. 12: at Illinois
- Oct. 18: vs. Oregon
- Oct. 26: BYE
- Nov. 2: vs. Northwestern
- Nov. 9: at Ohio State
- Nov. 16: vs. Penn State
- Nov. 22: at Michigan State
- Nov. 30: at Indiana
Illinois 2024 football schedule
- Aug. 29: vs. Eastern Illinois (W, 45-0)
- Sept. 7: vs. Kansas (W, 23-17)
- Sept. 14: vs. Central Michigan (W, 30-9)
- Sept. 20: at Nebraska (W, 31-24 OT)
- Sept. 28: at Penn State (L, 21-7)
- Oct. 5: OFF
- Oct. 12: vs. Purdue
- Oct. 19: vs. Michigan
- Oct. 26: at Oregon
- Nov. 2: vs. Minnesota
- Nov. 9: OFF
- Nov. 16: vs. Michigan State
- Nov. 22: at Rutgers
- Nov. 30: at Northwestern (Wrigley Field)
