Purdue Boilermakers 2021 Football Schedule
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — After a 2-4 season for Purdue football last year that featured three losses by one score, the Boilermakers are looking ahead to what is expected to be a normal football season in 2021.
As of now, Purdue plans to operate at full capacity at Ross-Ade Stadium after no fans were permitted to attend in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Boilermakers had three matchups canceled last season, including two opportunities to play in the Old Oaken Bucket game against Indiana.
Purdue will play three nonconference opponents to begin the upcoming season, including a game against a potential highly-ranked team in Notre Dame. The last time the two Indiana teams clashed was in 2014.
There are six home games in 2021, and Purdue will also host Indiana for this year's Old Oaken Bucket game despite not playing in Bloomington last season. The Hoosiers still have possession of the Old Oaken Bucket after a victory at Ross-Ade Stadium in 2019.
For 2021 Purdue football ticket information, CLICK HERE
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Here is the Purdue football schedule for 2021, which includes nine Big Ten games and three nonconference games, two on the road:
Sept. 4: Purdue 30, Oregon State 21
- WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, Sept. 4 at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana.
- RECORDS: Purdue 1-0 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten; Oregon State 0-1 overall
- GAME STORY: Junior tight end Payne Durham caught two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to help lift Purdue over Oregon State. Junior quarterback Jack Plummer threw for 313 yards in his first season-opening start. CLICK HERE
Sept. 11: Purdue 49, UConn 0
- WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, Sept. 11 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium in Harford, Connecticut.
- RECORDS: Purdue 2-0 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten; UConn 0-3 overall
- GAME STORY: David Bell caught just six passes for Purdue in a shutout against UConn on Saturday, but he put up 121 yards and three touchdowns. Starting quarterback Jack Plummer completed 19 passes for 273 yards and four scores in just one half of play. CLICK HERE
Sept. 18: Notre Dame 27, Purdue 13
- WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, Sept. 18 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana.
- RECORDS: Purdue 2-1 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten; Notre Dame 3-0 overall
- GAME STORY: Purdue outgained Notre Dame in Saturday's road loss in South Bend, but the Fighting Irish capitalized on three long touchdowns to put the Boilermakers away. CLICK HERE
Sept. 25: Purdue 13, Illinois 9
- WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, Sept. 25 at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette.
- RECORDS: Purdue 3-1 overall, 1-0 in the Big Ten; Illinois 1-4 overall, 1-2 in the Big Ten
- GAME STORY: The Purdue defense gave up just 58 total yards to Illinois in the first half. Fifth-year senior quarterback Aidan O’Connell led the team on a 10-play, 94-yard touchdown drive to take the lead in the fourth quarter. CLICK HERE
Oct. 2: Minnesota 20, Purdue 13
- WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, Oct. 2 at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette.
- RECORDS: Purdue 3-2 overall, 1-1 in the Big Ten; Minnesota 3-2 overall, 1-1 in the Big Ten
- GAME STORY: Purdue managed to reach the red zone four times against Minnesota but only put up 13 points to show for it. In his first start of the year, fifth-year senior Aidan O’Connell passed for 357 yards, one touchdown and one interception. CLICK HERE
Oct. 9: Bye week
Oct. 16: Purdue 24, Iowa 7
- WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, Oct. 16 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
- RECORDS: Purdue 4-2 overall, 2-1 in the Big Ten; Iowa 6-1 overall, 3-1 in the Big Ten
- GAME STORY: Purdue junior wide receiver David Bell recorded 11 catches for a career-high 240 yards and a touchdown on the road Saturday against Iowa at Kinnick Stadium. CLICK HERE
Oct. 23: Wisconsin 30, Purdue 13
- WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, Oct. 23 at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette.
- RECORDS: Purdue 4-3 overall, 2-2 in the Big Ten; Wisconsin 4-3 overall, 2-2 in the Big Ten
- GAME STORY: Purdue fifth-year senior quarterback Aidan O’Connell threw three interceptions Saturday, and the team scored just 13 points for the fourth time this season. Wisconsin also recorded six sacks. CLICK HERE
Oct. 30: Purdue 28, Nebraska 23
- WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, Oct. 30 at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.
- RECORDS: Purdue 5-3 overall, 3-2 in the Big Ten; Nebraska 3-6 overall, 1-5 in the Big Ten
- GAME STORY: Purdue football ran for 116 yards against Nebraska, helping the offense to a mistake-free afternoon against Nebraska. The Boilermakers came away with four interceptions to stifle Adrian Martinez and the Cornhuskers. CLICK HERE
Nov. 6: Purdue 40, Michigan State 29
- WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, Nov. 6 at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette.
- RECORDS: Purdue 6-3 overall, 4-2 in the Big Ten; Michigan State 8-1 overall, 5-1 in the Big Ten
- GAME STORY: Fifth-year senior quarterback Aidan O’Connell threw for three touchdowns and a career-high 536 yards to push Purdue past No. 3 Michigan State in a 40-29 victory at Ross-Ade Stadium. CLICK HERE
Nov. 13: Ohio State 59, Purdue 31
- WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, Nov. 6 at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette.
- RECORDS: Purdue 6-4 overall, 4-3 in the Big Ten; Ohio State 9-1 overall, 7-0 in the Big Ten
- GAME STORY: Purdue’s defense allowed the Ohio State offense to score on eight straight possessions, including six touchdowns in the first half. The Buckeyes finished the game with 624 yards of total offense. CLICK HERE
Nov. 20: Purdue 32, Northwestern 14
- WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, Nov. 20 at Wrigley FIeld in Chicago, Illinois.
- RECORDS: Purdue 7-4 overall, 5-3 in the Big Ten; Northwestern 3-8, 1-7 in the Big Ten
- GAME STORY: Purdue junior wide receiver Milton Wright caught eight passes for 213 yards and three scores in a win over Northwestern on Saturday at Wrigley Field. Junior pass-catcher David Bell added 12 catches for 101 yards receiving. CLICK HERE
Nov. 27: Purdue 44, Indiana 7
- WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, Nov. 27 at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette.
- RECORDS: Purdue 8-4 overall, 6-3 in the Big Ten; Indiana 2-10, 0-9 in the Big Ten
- GAME STORY: Fifth-year senior quarterback Aidan O'Connell completed 26 of his 31 passes for 278 yards and four touchdowns as Purdue dominated in-state rival Indiana. The Boilermakers lay claim to the Old Oaken Bucket for the first time since 2018. CLICK HERE
Dec. 4: Big Ten Championship Game
- WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, Dec. 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium between the champions of the Big Ten East division and the Big Ten West.
- TIME/TV: TBA/TBA
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.