Hammering Down: How Purdue Responds to Devastating Loss Will Define the Season
In this story:
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue could not have experienced a harder pendulum swing of emotion than what it did on Saturday afternoon inside Ross-Ade Stadium. At 3:35 p.m., the Boilermakers were celebrating a fourth-down stop and their first victory over a Power Four opponent since 2023. Seven minutes later, the Demon Deacons danced on the turf after Gio Lopez's two-point conversion lifted them to a 38-36 win in double overtime.
Heartbreaking. Devastating. Gut-wrenching. Those are just a few adjectives used to describe Saturday's loss, though there are probably several dozen more that apply.
In just one week, Purdue must travel to Los Angeles to play UCLA in the Big Ten opener. There's one major question facing the Boilermakers before kickoff at the Rose Bowl next Saturday: how do you respond?
Far be it from me to invoke Robert Frost, but Purdue feels like a team that has met a fork in the road. There are two paths in front of this program, and the one it chooses will define the rest of the season.
Without question, Saturday's game against Wake Forest was an important one for Barry Odom's team. It provided the Boilermakers with an opportunity to end a 20-game losing streak to Power Four opponents and start the year 2-0 before heading out to Los Angeles. A win would have rejuvenated an exhausted fanbase.
Instead, there were a handful of surrender cobras scattered about Ross-Ade Stadium after witnessing another "coulda, shoulda, woulda" moment. With UCLA and Notre Dame up next, everyone expects Purdue to start the 2026 season 1-3, anticipating another slide into the cellar. Let's be honest, even with 10 games left, there isn't much optimism in West Lafayette at the moment.
How does Purdue respond?
Last year, the Boilers nearly defeated Minnesota on the road, but a late pick-six by Koi Perich ended that possibility. The next week, Purdue traveled to Evanston and laid an egg, getting blanked by Northwestern 19-0. It looked like a completely different squad from the previous week.
For Purdue to show that it's a program moving in a positive direction, that can't happen Saturday night in Los Angeles. Odom's team was hit with some adversity early in the season, and it needs to get off the canvas and fight back.
If Saturday's loss to Wake Forest doesn't light a fire under the Boilermakers, then what will? If they can't shake off a little adversity after just two games, another long season is ahead.
The Big Ten opener against UCLA is another opportunity for Purdue to prove it's grown from last season. A chance to show everyone that one loss, as heartbreaking as it may have been, won't define this team.
How does Purdue respond?
Henson, Kane have work to do
When you win football games, everyone highlights the positives. When you lose, the problems get magnified. Whether that's fair or not, that's the situation for Purdue heading into next week's contest against UCLA.
Purdue did some positive things on both sides of the football in Saturday's loss to Wake Forest, but it's the plays that weren't made that everyone is talking about.
How Purdue responds mentally next week should be the No. 1 priority for this staff right now. The Boilers can't allow Saturday's loss to spill over into next weekend's Big Ten opener, which is scheduled for the Saturday Night Live time slot (11 p.m. ET).
Obviously, though, Purdue's coordinators, Josh Henson (offense) and Kevin Kane (defense), have some work to do this week, as well.
The same issues that were harped on after the Week 1 win over Indiana State remain a concern after the loss to the Demon Deacons.
Offensively, Purdue settled for too many field goals after getting into the red zone. The Boilermakers converted on all five trips, but three of those resulted in field goals from Jacobo Echeverria Lozano. Two of those times, the Boilers got inside the Wake Forest 5-yard line and couldn't find paydirt.
Purdue's offense has more firepower at receiver and a star running back in Fame Ijeboi. Quarterback Ryan Browne has been productive and efficient under center. The Boilers have to find ways to turn those red zone trips into touchdowns, and quickly.
As for the defense, it was too little, too late again. Purdue finally found a pass rush in the second half, but it failed to put any pressure on Lopez at any point in the first three quarters. The secondary didn't help, as its soft coverage allowed Wake Forest to pick up chunk yardage and convert long third downs.
That's not going to cut in the Big Ten.
Yes, I understand how oversimplified this sounds. Purdue needs to score more touchdowns and prevent opponents from reaching the end zone. You don't have to tell me, I know there's more to the strategy than that.
If Purdue can find ways to capitalize in the red zone offensively and have a more consistent pass rush defensively, this is a team that can make some noise in the Big Ten.
Those are the tasks that Henson and Kane must address this coming week. Purdue's success in Los Angeles depends on the adjustments those two guys make over the next seven days.
Get top Boilermakers stories, expert analysis, and can't-miss moments straight to your inbox for free by signing up for the Purdue Boilermakers on SI newsletter!
Add us as a preferred source on Google
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