Big Ten Launches New Football Rivalry Series — Which New 'Rival' Does Purdue Play?
In this story:
Purdue fans are counting down the days until Oct. 18, when it travels to Evanston for its annual rivalry game against ... Northwestern?! Yes, you read that correctly, the Big Ten is actually attempting to incorporate a mid-October game between the Boilermakers and Wildcats into its new rivalry series.
Friday, the Big Ten announced the launch of the "Big Ten Football Rivalry Series, presented by Venmo." This new series will feature 17 games and all 18 teams. All of the authentic rivalries remain intact, but the conference is adding a few more to the mix.
So, apparently, this year's Purdue-Northwestern game will serve as part of the rivalry series. It seems a little forced, especially since the Boilermakers have an authentic rivalry with Illinois, with that game scheduled for Oct. 4.
Who am I to try to make sense of this, though?
The good news? The annual Old Oaken Bucket game between Purdue and Indiana did make the list. So, at least the Big Ten got something right with this announcement.
The launch of the new Big Ten Football Rivalry Series begins on Saturday, Sept. 27, with the age-old rivalry between Oregon and Penn State ... seriously. Here's the complete lineup from the conference:
Big Ten Football Rivalry Series games
- Sept. 27 — Oregon vs. Penn State
- Oct. 18 — Michigan State vs. Indiana
- Oct. 18 — Purdue vs. Northwestern
- Oct. 18 — Ohio State vs. Wisconsin
- Oct. 25 — Minnesota vs. Iowa
- Oct. 25 — Michigan vs. Michigan State
- Nov. 1 — Penn State vs. Ohio State
- Nov. 8 — Maryland vs. Rutgers
- Nov. 15 — Penn State vs. Michigan State
- Nov. 22 —Michigan vs. Maryland
- Nov. 22 — Illinois vs. Wisconsin
- Nov. 22 — USC vs. Oregon
- Nov. 28 — Iowa vs. Nebraska
- Nov. 28 — Indiana vs. Purdue
- Nov. 29 — Northwestern vs. Illinois
- Nov. 29 — UCLA vs. USC
- Nov. 29 — Oregon vs. Washington
Related stories on Purdue football
PURDUE'S RUN BLOCKING NEEDS WORK: Purdue has struggled to run the football this season, averaging 106.3 yards per game. It seems that run blocking is a big issue for the Boilermakers. CLICK HERE
PURDUE'S TOP 5 PLAYS THROUGH 4 GAMES: Purdue is only four games into the season, but it has had some memorable moments, including a couple of trick plays that have resulted in touchdowns. CLICK HERE
MCCALLISTER A SEMIFINALIST FOR NATIONAL AWARD: Purdue's Jack McCallister has emerged as one of the top punters in the Big Ten. He has also been named a semifinalist for a prestigious national award. CLICK HERE
Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
Follow SchutteDustin