5 Bold Predictions for Purdue Football in 2025
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A new era of Purdue football is about to get underway. On Saturday, Purdue will hit the field against Ball State in the first game under Barry Odom, as the Boilermakers hope to bounce back after a 1-11 campaign just a season ago.
Here are five bold predictions for Year 1 of the Odom era.
Devin Mockobee breaks Purdue's all-time rushing record
Throughout his career, Devin Mockobee has been reluctant to discuss individual accolades or personal goals. But if there's one player on Purdue's roster who deserves the opportunity to etch his name in Boilermaker football history books, it's the senior running back from Boonville, Ind.
Mockobee has amassed 2,466 yards in his first three years at Purdue. He started his career as a walk-on in 2022 and earned a scholarship the following season. He's been the team's leading rusher each of the last three years, though he hasn't eclipsed the 1,000-yard barrier in a single season yet.
That changes in 2025. Mockobee needs 1,170 yards to surpass Mike Alstott as Purdue's all-time leading rusher (3,635 yards from 1992-95). The senior running back will break that record and go down as one of the all-time greats in program history.
The defense ranks in the top half of the Big Ten
Hey, these aren't "lukewarm predictions," right? This is another tall task for Odom and defensive coordinator Mike Scherer, but I expect Purdue to have more success on that side of the football this season.
Last year at UNLV, Odom's defense ranked as the best in the Mountain West, holding opponents to 21.3 points per game. Odom has surrounded himself with several staffers whom he has worked with in the past, including Scherer (UNLV), defensive ends coach Jake Trump (Arkansas), and defensive line coach Kelvin Green (Arkansas).
Purdue will face some really skilled offenses in 2025, playing USC, Notre Dame, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio State, and Indiana. Holding those opponents to low point totals will be tough, but I don't expect to see all of those teams putting 40 points on Purdue's defense quite as easily as they have in the past.
Purdue upsets USC in Week 3
This is probably the boldest prediction I have on this list, but I have a few good reasons for believing it's a legitimate possibility.
Last year, we noticed a trend with Big Ten teams struggling when they had to travel across the country. USC will make the 2,100-mile trek from Los Angeles to West Lafayette on Saturday, Sept. 20, for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff. That gives the Boilermakers one advantage.
Purdue also hired Josh Henson as its offensive coordinator after spending the previous three years at USC on Lincoln Riley's staff. He'll have plenty of inside knowledge of what the Trojans like to do on both sides of the football — another advantage for the Boilers.
I understand we still don't know much about this Purdue team, but I do believe an upset in Week 3 and a 3-0 start to the 2025 season is more plausible than people think.
CJ Madden leads the team in sacks
Heading into the season, Madden has been voted a team captain and is probably considered one of the most talented players on Purdue's defense. Plus, the defensive end will be looking to prove a point after missing eight games due to injury last season.
Madden has yet to record a sack at the college level in three seasons. But the former four-star prospect has all the potential to be one of the top players at his position. I'm not ready to put a number on how many sacks he tallies this season, but I think he'll be the best on the team.
Purdue is fighting for bowl eligibility in the Bucket Game
If Purdue upsets USC in Week 3 as was previously mentioned, then it would need just two more wins to get to five by the time the Old Oaken Bucket game against Indiana rolls around. I think there are a few games on the docket that the Boilermakers are more than capable of winning.
Purdue has a three-game stretch from Oct. 11 to Oct. 25 when it will play Minnesota, Northwestern, and Rutgers. If the Boilers can squeak out wins in two of those contests, they'll have hit the five-win mark before a brutal stretch that includes games against Michigan, Ohio State, Washington, and Indiana.
So, yes, I think there are some major stakes at play when Purdue hosts Indiana on Black Friday at the end of the 2025 campaign.
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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.
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