Purdue football isn’t exactly known as a powerhouse program that opponents always fear playing. The Boilermakers’ last Big Ten championship was in 2000, and since the beginning of the 2023 season, they’re 5-13 and have won just one game in 2024 — their season opener against Indiana State.
Still, Purdue, and the Ross-Ade Stadium crowd, has a little history of pulling off stunning and wildly unexpected upsets in West Lafayette against ranked teams during an otherwise unremarkable regular season.
Most recently, the Boilermakers’ biggest wins against ranked teams have been on the road. During the 2022 season, they topped Minnesota and Illinois — both ranked No. 21 for each game — as the away team. But their occasional upsets as the home team are far more interesting, including an impressive 2018 run when they upset three ranked teams at home.
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In Week 8 of the 2024 season, they host No. 2 Oregon, which is coming off a thrilling win over then-No. 2 Ohio State and had to travel two time zones for Friday night’s game at Ross-Ade Stadium.
The Boilermakers are massive 29.5-point underdogs against the Ducks, per BetMGM, and they’ll likely lose. But the circumstances around this game could also perfectly lay the groundwork for another chaotic upset.
So ahead of Purdue’s game against No. 2 Oregon on Friday, here’s a look at every time the unranked Boilermakers upset an AP Poll-ranked opponent at home in the last 20 years.
Purdue 40, No. 5 Michigan State 29 | November 6, 2021
The Boilermakers were tied with the Spartans, 21-21, early in the third quarter, but with the help of a touchdown and four second-half field goals, they were able to pull away and deliver Michigan State its first loss of the season. This was the second time that season Purdue beat a top-5 team; it upset No. 2 Iowa, 24-7, but that game was at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City.
Purdue 30, No. 23 Boston College 13 | September 22, 2018
A 16-point second quarter gave the Boilermakers a comfortable lead against the Eagles, whose only second-half score was a garbage-time touchdown run with 18 seconds left in the game.
Purdue 49, No. 2 Ohio State 20 | October 20, 2018
On a mission to knock off the Buckeyes, Purdue powered to a 28-6 lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter. And while scoring on both sides picked up big time, the Boilermakers put up four fourth-quarter touchdowns to Ohio State’s two.
Purdue 38, No. 19 Iowa 36 | November 3, 2018
The Boilermakers had a 21-17 lead at halftime, but clearly the Hawkeyes were putting up a fight. Purdue trailed only once — in the middle of the fourth quarter Iowa scored a touchdown with a failed two-point conversion to take a 36-35 lead. But the Boilermakers kicked a field goal with eight seconds left to win.
Purdue 21, No. 23 Illinois 14 | October 22, 2011
Not scoring once in the second half usually isn’t a recipe for an upset victory, but Purdue pulled it off here. The Boilermakers jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first half and that was enough for a win.
Purdue 26, No. 7 Ohio State 18 | October 17, 2009
The Boilermakers had a 23-7 lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter in this one, and Ohio State tried to fight back but came up short.
