How to Watch Purdue vs. Minnesota — TV Info, Key Players, Preview and Prediction

Both Purdue and Minnesota are coming off ugly losses last week, and both are hoping to get back in the win column on Saturday. The two teams didn't play last season, so it will be the first meeting between the Boilermakers and Golden Gophers since 2023.

Here's all the information you need heading into Saturday's Big Ten clash between Purdue and Minnesota.

Purdue (2-3, 0-2 Big Ten) vs. Minnesota (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten)

Purdue Boilermakers wide receiver Arhmad Branch (6) catches a pass | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

What: Big Ten Conference Game
When: Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. (50,805 capacity)
TV: Big Ten Network
TV Announcers: Chris Vosters (play-by-play), Anthony Herron (analyst), Dannie Rogers (sideline).
Radio: Purdue Global Radio Network — WAZY 96.5 FM (Lafayette); WKJG 100.9 FM (Fort Wayne); WNDE 1260 AM (Indianapolis); WGBF 1280 (Evansville); SiriusXM Ch. 138; View all listings: CLICK HERE
Radio Announcers: Tim Newton (play-by-play), Mark Hermann (analyst), Derek Schultz (sidelines), Rob Blackmon (producer).
Spread: Minnesota is an 8.5-point favorite, per FanDuel Sportsbook as of Wednesday, Oct. 9.
All-time series: Minnesota leads the all-time series vs. Purdue 41-35-3.
Last meeting: Purdue defeated Minnesota 49-30 on Nov. 11, 2023, at Ross-Ade Stadium.
Weather: The forecast for Saturday in Minneapolis is a high of 67 degrees and a low of 44 degrees, per Weather.com. The temperature at kickoff is expected to be 64 degrees, with temperatures dropping throughout the night. There is 0% chance of rain, and winds are expected to be between 2 and 8 mph from the southeast.

Team Stats

Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive lineman Anthony Smith (0) celebrates a sack | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Offense

Offensive statistics	Minnesota Golden Gophers	Purdue Boilermakers
Scoring	27.4 ppg	27.8 ppg
Rushing yards	128.8 ypg	115.2 ypg
Passing yards	227.8 ypg	284.0 ypg
Total yards	356.6 ypg	399.2 ypg
Turnovers	4	8
3rd down conversions	40.68%	43.94%
Red zone conversions	81.82%	75%

Defense

Defensive statistics	Minnesota Golden Gophers	Purdue Boilermakers
Points allowed	21.4 ppg	29.8 ppg
Rushing yards allowed	79.0 ypg	149.2 ypg
Passing yards allowed	199.8 ypg	248.4 ypg
Total yards allowed	278.8 ypg	397.6 ypg
Takeaways	6	1
Opp. 3rd down conversions	39.66%	36.21%
Opp. red zone conversions	93.33%	80.95%

Players to Watch

Purdue Boilermakers

Ryan Browne, QB — Browne continues to provide a major spark offensively for the Boilermakers. He has thrown for 1,338 yards and seven touchdowns and has added three touchdowns on the ground. The Purdue quarterback ranks third in the Big Ten in average pass yards per game. He's had some issues with turnovers this year, but he's demonstrated a great ability to move the ball down the field.

Devin Mockobee, RB — In two games against the Golden Gophers in his career, Mockobee has been dominant. He's totaled 265 yards and two touchdowns on just 28 carries. Minnesota has really had no answer for his ability. This season, the senior running back has accounted for 304 rushing yards and has scored four touchdowns.

Charles Correa, LB — Correa has been all over the field for the Boilermakers through the first five games. He's the team's top tackler and ranks third in the Big Ten with 49 total stops. He's also responsible for five tackles for loss, two sacks, and two additional quarterback hurries.

CJ Nunnally IV, DL — There hasn't been a more effective player getting to the quarterback for Purdue than Nunnally. He has totaled a team-best three sacks and added four hurries to his stat line. He has been consistent at pressuring quarterbacks this season, something the Boilers need along the defensive front.

Minnesota Golden Gophers

Drake Lindsey, QB — Lindsey has been fairly consistent throughout the season, especially as a first-year starter. He's thrown for 1,052 yards with seven touchdowns and just two interceptions. He was brilliant in Minnesota's win over Rutgers, throwing for 324 yards and three touchdowns while completing 31-of-41 pass attempts.

Javon Tracy, WR — Minnesota has plenty of skilled receivers, and Tracy currently leads the room in yardage. Through five games, the junior has hauled in 12 passes for 204 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He had caught a pass in each of the Gophers' first four games, but did not have a reception against Ohio State last week.

Koi Perich, DB — Perich is one of the most versatile players in the Big Ten, playing in the secondary and also fielding punts and kickoff returns. He has accounted for 30 tackles and a pass break-up on defense and has totaled 128 yards on five kickoff returns. He also has 64 punt return yards and has caught three passes for 55 yards.

Anthony Smith, DL — Smith is tied for third in the Big Ten in sacks, piling up 4.5 through five games for the Golden Gophers. He's been a force at the line of scrimmage this season, causing a lot of havoc in the backfield.

The Coaches

Barry Odom, Purdue

Purdue Boilermakers head coach Barry Odom looks on against the Illinois Fighting Illini | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Odom is in his first year at Purdue after a successful two-year run at UNLV. The Rebels won 20 games in the past two seasons, reaching the Mountain West Championship Game each of the last two years. It was an impressive turnaround for a program that has struggled to find and sustain success over the course of its history.

Now, Odom comes to Purdue hoping to turn things around in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers ended the 2024 campaign with a 1-11 record. Although many would consider this a rebuilding project, Odom has refused to use that terminology with his team.

This year will be Odom's seventh as a college head coach. He was at Missouri from 2016-19, posting a 25-25 record and reaching a bowl game twice in that span. As an assistant coach, Odom has worked at Missouri (2003-15) and Arkansas (2020-22).

Overall record — 46-36
Record at Purdue — 2-3

PJ Fleck, Minnesota

Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck on the field | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Fleck is in his ninth season at the helm in Minneapolis, taking over as head coach in 2017. In that time, the Golden Gophers have been incredibly consistent, posting a 61-41 record and reaching a bowl game six times in his first eight years. Minnesota's best year under Fleck came in 2019, when he led the team to an 11-2 record and a win over Auburn in the Outback Bowl.

Before taking over at Minnesota, Fleck spent four seasons as the head coach at Western Michigan. From 2013 until 16, he took the Broncos from a 1-11 team to a 13-1 squad in his final year at the helm. He finished his time in Kalamazoo with a 30-22 record.

Fleck played college football at Northern Illinois from 1999 through 2003. After his playing days, he became a graduate assistant at Ohio State in 2006, then returned to NIU as a wide receivers coach from 2007 through 2009. Fleck then joined Greg Schiano's Rutgers staff in 2010 and 2011 and had a one-year run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before getting a head coaching opportunity at Western Michigan.

Overall record — 91-63
Record at Minnesota — 61-41

Preview and Prediction

As silly as it sounds, you can probably scrap most of what you saw from Minnesota's performance against Ohio State. The Buckeyes are really, really talented, and the Gophers were really no match. But it's still a football team that can cause a lot of problems, especially in a game against Purdue.

The Gophers hang their hat on defense, holding teams to under 280 yards per game and recording six takeaways through the first four games — they didn't have any in Saturday's 42-3 loss to Ohio State. Usually, Fleck tries to establish the run, which is the case again this season, but Lindsey and the passing attack really flourished when threatened against Rutgers.

Purdue's passing game has been its biggest strength, averaging 284 yards per game through the air. In last week's game against Illinois, that prolific air attack also opened up the run game for Devin Mockobee and Antonio Harris. Can the Boilers find success against a stingy Gophers defense?

The biggest concern for Purdue remains the defense, especially in the secondary. Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer carved up the Boilermakers down the field. With Lindsey's ability to throw the football, Minnesota might be wise to ditch the run game and force Purdue's secondary to make plays.

Like we've seen throughout the season, I think Purdue's offense will have some tricks up its sleeve to catch Minnesota's defense off guard. But the Gophers are too disciplined, get too many stops and sneak out a victory at Huntington Bank Stadium.

Score prediction — Minnesota 28, Purdue 24