Purdue Ranked 10th Among Big Ten Teams in ESPN's 2022 College Football Power Index
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — With Purdue football's spring practices in the rear-view mirror, the program sets its sights on summer workouts ahead of fall camp. The Boilermakers are looking to build off an impressive 2021 campaign that was capped by a victory in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl.
Despite a 9-4 record last season, Purdue is being projected to finish 10th among all Big Ten programs — the No. 44-ranked team in the nation — coming ahead of only Rutgers, Northwestern, Illinois and Indiana, according to ESPN's 2022 College Football Power Index.
Out of all 14 schools in the conference, five were ranked inside the top-25, topped by the Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 2.
The Boilermakers are projected for 7.0 wins and 5.2 losses during the 2022 season. The team was given an 82.6% chance of reaching six wins on the year, a 13.0% chance to win the Big Ten West and a 1.3% chance for a conference championship victory.
However, Purdue was given a 0.0% chance of qualifying for the College Football Playoff bracket by the end of the season.
Last season, the ESPN College Football Power Index projected the Boilermakers to win between five and six games. Purdue shattered expectations with a pair of top-five victories against Iowa and Michigan State before ending the year with a thrilling 48-45 win over Tennessee in the Music City Bowl.
Purdue football is scheduled to open the 2022 season inside Ross-Ade Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 1, against the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Here's where every Big Ten team landed in ESPN's 2022 College FPI:
- Ohio State Buckeyes (No. 2)
- Michigan Wolverines (No. 7)
- Penn State Nittany Lions (No. 12)
- Michigan State Spartans (No. 16)
- Wisconsin Badgers (No. 21)
- Nebraska Cornhuskers (No. 35)
- Iowa Hawkeyes (No. 38)
- Minnesota Golden Gophers (No. 40)
- Maryland Terrapins (No. 43)
- Purdue Boilermakers (No. 44)
- Indiana Hoosiers (No. 66)
- Illinois Fighting Illini (No. 73)
- Northwestern Wildcats (No. 82)
- Rutgers Scarlet Knights (No. 83)
Related Stories on Purdue Football
- WHAT'S NEXT FOR PURDUE AFTER SPRING PRACTICES: Purdue football turns its head toward summer workouts leading into fall camp in August. The goal for the team is to get players back on the field while analyzing the last 15 practices from the spring. CLICK HERE
- PURDUE 2022 SPRING GAME RECAP: Purdue football capped off its spring practices Saturday at Ross-Ade Stadium with the team's annual spring game. The defense overcame a comeback effort by the offense in the second half to secure a victory. CLICK HERE
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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.