Purdue Opens as Major Underdog in Big Ten Opener vs. USC
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue may be off to a 2-0 start in 2025, but the Boilermakers are still a massive underdog entering Saturday's Big Ten opener against USC at Ross-Ade Stadium (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS).
USC has opened as a 23.5-point favorite for next weekend's Big Ten clash against Purdue, according to FanDuel. This will be the first meeting between the two programs since 1998 and the Trojans' first trip to West Lafayette since 1976.
USC owns a 3-1 advantage in the all-time series. Purdue's lone victory came in a 1967, a 14-13 win in the Rose Bowl.
Purdue has started 2-0 for the first time since 2021, defeating Ball State 31-0 in Week 1 and beating Southern Illinois 34-17 on Saturday night. USC is also 2-0 to begin the 2025 campaign, with wins over Missouri State (73-13) and Georgia Southern (59-20).
Does Purdue have a secret weapon?
If you're looking for advantages for Purdue entering next weekend's Big Ten opener against USC, there are a few.
First, USC is traveling 2,100 miles for this weekend's game at Ross-Ade Stadium. Last year, teams traveling across multiple time zones struggled mightily. In 2024, the Trojans lost all three of their games when traveling across those time zones, falling to Michigan (27-24), Minnesota (24-17), and Maryland (29-28).
Additionally, Purdue offensive coordinator Josh Henson spent the last three years (2022-24) working on Lincoln Riley's staff at USC. He could provide some inside information on the schematics and philosophy of what the Trojans like to do on both sides of the football.
Could that combination be enough for Purdue to pull off one of the biggest upsets early in the college football season? We'll have to wait a week to find out.
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EVERY GAME BIG FOR PURDUE: While Purdue has a "big game" ahead against USC, coach Barry Odom said that every game is important for the Boilermakers. CLICK HERE
PURDUE WORKING TO ESTABLISH THE RUN: Last week, Purdue rushed for less than 100 yards in a 31-0 win over Ball State. But the Boilermakers rode their running game hard Saturday night vs. SIU. CLICK HERE
PURDUE DEFENSE ANSWERS THE CALL: Southern Illinois' defense torched Purdue on the first two possessions. But once the Boilermakers settled down, they dominated the remainder of the game. CLICK HERE
SABAN MENTIONS STRUGGLES VS PURDUE: When breaking down Ole Miss vs. Kentucky, Nick Saban mentioned how he could "never beat" Purdue when he was the head coach at Michigan State. 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.
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