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    IU football 2025 opponent overview: Week 14 — Purdue

    Seth TowBy IU Football 2 Comments
    Photo - IU Athletics

    With the college football season starting to creep up, we’re running down Indiana’s schedule to preview all 12 opponents for 2025.

    Indiana’s second bye week comes with just one game remaining in the regular season. The Hoosiers then wrap up, as usual, with the Old Oaken Bucket on the line at Purdue. Curt Cignetti’s debut in the rivalry game was historic, as IU demolished the Boilermakers 66-0 at a snowy Memorial Stadium. That result may have sealed Ryan Walters’ fate, as Purdue fired him and hired UNLV’s Barry Odom as its new head coach. Odom’s team ranks last in the Big Ten in returning production — but given how poorly PU’s 2024 went, that may not be a bad thing.

    • Opponent: Purdue
    • Date/Time: Friday, November 28, 7:30 p.m.
    • Location: Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Ind.
    • 2024 record/postseason result: 1-11, 0-9 Big Ten

    Returning production, offense: 39 percent (per Bill Connelly/ESPN) (113th in the country)

    Offensive outlook: Odom brought in Josh Henson from USC as his offensive coordinator. Henson held the OC job with the Trojans, but he didn’t call plays in Lincoln Riley’s offense. He should have those responsibilities at Purdue.

    The Boilermakers have an unsettled quarterback picture going into fall camp. Redshirt sophomore Ryan Browne, redshirt junior Bennett Meredith, redshirt freshman Evans Chuba (a Washington State transfer), and redshirt sophomore Malachi Singleton (an Arkansas transfer) could all be in the mix. Browne, Meredith and Singleton both have limited game action on their résumés, while Chuba has yet to see the field in college. Singleton was a four-star recruit (per 247Sports) out of high school. Browne spent his first two seasons with Purdue, transferred to North Carolina after last season, then returned to West Lafayette after spring ball.

    Redshirt senior Devin Mockobee returns at running back to continue his very productive career at Purdue. Last season, he averaged just shy of five yards per carry, with 687 yards on 138 rush attempts with four touchdowns. Mockobee was also PU’s fourth-leading receiver with 170 yards on 17 catches and a touchdown. He’ll be a major cog in the Boiler offense this year.

    PU’s receiving corps will feature a heavy dose of transfers, but all with very little production to their names. Returning redshirt junior De’Nylon Morrissette could also see increased opportunity.

    Odom also rebuilt Purdue’s offensive line, with no returning starters on the unit. Jalen St. John followed his head coach from UNLV and should start, one of eight former Runnin’ Rebels on the Boilermakers’ roster.

    Returning production, defense: 46 percent (per Bill Connelly/ESPN) (93rd in the country)

    Defensive outlook: Odom retained Mike Scherer as his defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. He spent two years in that role at UNLV; the Rebel defense struggled in 2023 (106th in the nation in total defense) but showed significant improvement in 2024 (49th in total defense). They were particularly strong in run defense last season, ranking 23rd in the country by allowing 115 yards per game. Scherer’s defense also excelled at forcing takeaways, with 23 (tied for 23rd in the nation), and at sacks, with 42 (tied for eighth in the country).

    Two starters from that UNLV defense followed the staff to Purdue: linebacker Mani Powell (nine tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, four QB hurries) and defensive back Tony Grimes (six passes broken up, one QB hurry).

    The program added several other intriguing defensive transfers along with that duo. Defensive lineman CJ Nunnally IV led Akron last year with 11 TFLs, six sacks, and two forced fumbles, and he tied for the team lead with five QB hurries. Defensive lineman Breylon Charles (North Texas) recorded six TFLs, 4.5 sacks, one PBU, and three QB hurries last season. Purdue also added a good-looking safety tandem, in BYU transfer Crew Wakley (two interceptions, one sack, one PBU) and Houston transfer Hershey McLaurin (one interception, eight TFLs, 0.5 sacks, three PBUs, one QB hurry, one forced fumble).

    Special teams outlook: The Boilers will likely roll with redshirt senior punter Jack McCallister, who averaged 43 yards per punt last season at Washington, which would’ve ranked in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten if he qualified for the stat leaderboard. McCallister transferred to Nebraska after the 2024 season, but then re-entered the portal after spring ball and landed at Purdue. Redshirt sophomore Spencer Porath returns at placekicker after going 7 for 11 on field goals and 17 for 17 on extra points last year. It’s reasonable to expect some of the transfer portal additions to handle returns.

    Overall Outlook: It would be hard for the 2025 Boilers to be worse than the 2024 team, given how poorly last season went. So expect at least some improvement. But Odom has a big task ahead of him, with a whole lot of question marks around his roster and a tricky Big Ten schedule. Yes, Cignetti was in a similar position going into his first season in Bloomington, but the players he brought in and kept around had better prior production than the pieces Purdue added, particularly on offense. The Boilermakers defense could have some potential, and Odom’s track record is encouraging in the big picture. But it would be a major surprise if this team isn’t among the worst few squads in the conference.

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