Quarterly Report Card: Grading Purdue Football Through 3 Games
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Purdue is through the first three weeks of the college football season, and it's not been the start most were hoping to see. The Boilermakers have found themselves in a position to begin the year 3-0, but costly mistakes have Barry Odom's team sitting with a 1-2 record through the first quarter of the 2026 campaign.
Now that we've reached the first quarter mark of the season, how would I evaluate each phase of this year's squad? Let's take a look at the first report card of the year in West Lafayette.
Offense: A-
Greatest strength: The passing attack
Purdue has moved the ball through the air at an extremely high level through the first three games. Ryan Browne has thrown for more than 300 yards in each of those contests and ranks second nationally by averaging 341.3 yards per game.
The Boilermakers really upgraded at wide receiver and have reliable options in Asaad Waseem, Xavier Townsend and Chauncey Magwood. Tight end George Burhenn has also stepped up and made some big catches through the first three contests.
Offensive coordinator Josh Henson has helped Browne out by establishing the run early in the game, which allows Purdue to have more success through the air. This is a much more fun offense to watch than the past three seasons.
Biggest weakness: Run blocking
Fame Ijeboi has covered up a lot of mistakes with the offensive line because of his toughness, power and elusiveness. He can turned a two-yard loss into a five-yard game. He can bounce off tacklers and has big-play ability. The running back was banged up a bit in Saturday's game against UCLA, and we saw some of the flaws in run blocking in Pasadena.
Purdue's passing attack was explosive, but the run game struggled, averaging just 2.25 yards per carry. Even against Indiana State, the Boilermakers only averaged 4.43 yards per carry, not an ideal average against an FCS opponent.
The Boilermakers have been creative in the run game, which has found success in spurts throughout the season. If not for Ijeboi, though, we'd be talking about the struggles of the offensive line in the run game a lot more.
Most valuable player: Ryan Browne
There's no doubt that Browne has lived up to the hype through the first three games. Odom, Henson and quarterbacks coach Darin Hinshaw praised the progress made by the second-year starter, and he's delivered. If Purdue had a better defense, the Boilers would be 3-0, and Browne is a primary reason.
Browne is the only Big Ten quarterback who threw for more than 1,000 yards through three games. He's also protected the football, throwing seven touchdowns with just one interception, and his completion rate is 73.3%. That should be enough to win multiple football games.
Defense: F
Greatest strength: To be determined
Has there been anything Purdue has done well consistently on the defensive side through the first three weeks? At times, the Boilermakers have shown the ability to generate a pass rush and make quarterbacks uncomfortable. It hasn't been consistent, though.
In the opener against Indiana State, Don Saunders intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. The Boilermakers haven't forced a single turnover since Week 1. The run defense looked solid against ISU and Wake Forest, but the Boilers were gashed by UCLA in Pasadena.
Maybe Purdue can generate more consistency in one area, but we haven't seen it yet.
Biggest weakness: Run defense
There are plenty of things that would fit this description through the first quarter of the season. Purdue's run defense is ranked as the second-worst in the nation and worst in the Big Ten, allowing 207 yards per game on the ground. Opponents are also averaging 5.50 yards per carry against the Boilermakers.
In Purdue's two games against FBS opponents, the Boilers are allowing 277.5 yards per game on the ground. Wake Forest and UCLA combined to score seven rushing touchdowns. The Boilermakers are allowing quarterbacks to scramble for 58 yards per contest.
The defensive line isn't getting off blocks, the edge isn't creating any pass rush and defensive backs and linebackers look out of position. It's been hard to watch.
Most valuable player: Don Saunders
The absence of Mister Clark could actually fit into this description. He played well in the opener against Indiana State, but has missed the last two games due to injury. However, Saunders has been one of the few bright spots for Purdue on the defensive side.
Saunders has accounted for 21 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss and an interception for Purdue's defense this season. He's one of the leaders of that unit, but there is still room for improvement.
Special teams
Greatest strength: Kicking game
Purdue's special teams unit has been outstanding through three weeks. True freshman Jacobo Echeverria Lozano has been as reliable as nearly any kicker in the country, especially considering his rookie status. You could also mention the punting from the Boilermakers, as Dylan Drennan has been a nice addition to the roster.
Henson would love to score more touchdowns in the red zone, but it's been a nice weapon having Lozano as the kicker. He's been nearly perfect this year, connecting on 7-of-8 attempts. His only miss came from 49 yards out against Wake Forest in Week 2.
Biggest weakness: Penalties in return game
If there's been a criticsm of Purdue's special teams thus far, it's that a handful of big returns have been negated by penalties. the offense has generally made up for those mistakes, but shortening the field and winning those battles is important, especially with Big Ten play on the horizon.
Purdue needs to be better about eliminating those penalties and helping the offense start drives with better field position. It's the biggest knock on special teams right now.
Most valuable player: Jacobo Echeverria Lozano
Lozano has been reliable for Purdue this year, helping the Boilers turned stalled red zone drives into automatic points. It's a high-pressure situation for a young player, but Lozano has handled it extremely well.
In addition to his seven made field goals this season, the freshman kicker is also 13-of-13 on his PAT tries. Purdue needed that type of reliability after Spencer Porath's transfer to Notre Dame in the offseason.
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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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