Tag: Purdue Boilermakers

Kirk Ferentz, Iowa took notice of new Purdue head coach during UNLV stint

Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz said he has been impressed from afar with new Purdue head football coach Barry Odom.

Though their paths haven’t yet crossed, Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz said he has been impressed by the Purdue Boilermakers’ new head football coach.

Purdue recently hired Barry Odom, 48, as its new head football coach. Odom orchestrated one of the more impressive coaching jobs over the past two seasons as he guided UNLV to back-to-back Mountain West championship game appearances and beat Power Four foes Houston and Kansas this season.

The Rebels lost each of those Mountain West Championship games to Boise State, but Odom compiled a 19-8 mark with UNLV over the past two seasons, including a 10-3 record this year.

Ferentz said it caught he and the Iowa staff’s eye.

“Tremendous respect for him, especially if you look at what he’s done here these last couple years. I don’t mean this in a negative way towards UNLV, but they’ve gone through several coaches there over the years and really have never had success, proven success or continued success there.

“So, I kind of look across things sometimes, things catch your eye. I’ve said it to several people this year the job that they’re doing down there is just absolutely amazing. I don’t pretend to know what they’re doing or how they were doing it other than I know they’re playing really good football. I’ve never met him personally, but have heard nothing but positive things about him as a person and as a coach. Not surprised that he’s that kind of success there,” Ferentz said of Odom.

Odom also served as the head coach at his alma mater, Missouri, from 2016-19. Odom was fired a day after the regular season ended following the Tigers’ 6-6 finish in the 2019 season.

Odom compiled a 25-25 (13-19 SEC) record during his four seasons with the Tigers.

Odom takes over a Purdue program that sank in a hurry under Ryan Walters’ direction. Walters went just 5-19 over two seasons at Purdue and was fired after a season-ending 11-game losing streak.

In addition to his head coaching stints, Odom has also worked as the defensive coordinator at Memphis, Missouri and Arkansas.

Iowa topped Purdue 20-14 in the two teams’ most recent meeting during the 2023 season. Then-sophomore running back Kaleb Johnson rushed for 134 yards, including his 67-yard rushing touchdown.

The Hawkeyes have won back-to-back games in the series. Iowa also beat Purdue, 24-3, during the 2022 season.

Purdue is not one of Iowa’s scheduled opponents during the 2025 college football season.

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What Dan Lanning has said about Oregon’s new safety transfer Dillon Thieneman

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning had nothing but praise for Purdue safety Dillon Thieneman earlier this year before his transfer to Eugene.

The Oregon Ducks gained their first addition via the transfer portal on Saturday afternoon, landing a commitment from former Purdue Boilermakers star Dillon Thieneman.

As a true sophomore, Thieneman racked up another 100-plus tackle season and developed into one of the best defensive backs in the country. Through two seasons, Thieneman has 210 total tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 1 sack and six interceptions.

When he announced this week that he would enter the transfer portal, Thieneman became one of the hottest names on the market. He was rated the top safety available in the portal. Both the Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes, among others, were after him, but it was Dan Lanning who landed him in the end.

It makes sense Lanning wanted him based on the glowing review he has offered for the Purdue safety in the past.

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Earlier this season, Oregon traveled to West Lafayette to face the Boilermakers, and this is what Lanning had to say about Thieneman then:

“I mean, obviously, 31 is a guy that can play sideline to sideline,” Lanning said. “They play their safety a little deeper than some teams traditionally, which allows him to really play, almost like a flat-footed read player back there who can see the ball and react to the ball. And he’s a really talented player who does a great job of doing that, and finds himself around the ball consistently.”

It was clear Lanning had great respect for the safety, and it makes sense now that Oregon wanted him badly. The Ducks were likely thrilled to see him enter the portal.

Now, Thieneman comes to Eugene hoping to continue the line of very talented safety transfers who find great success with the Ducks. Before him, Tysheem Johnson, Evan Williams, Kobe Savage and Brandon Johnson have had major affects on the defense.

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Best photos of Penn State fans celebrating basketball upset of Purdue

Penn State fans celebrated a major upset of Purdue by storming the court in Happy Valley!

In a year where the national expectations were low for Penn State basketball, the Nittany Lions are off and running and already making some noise in the Big Ten. Penn State scored a massive 80-71 victory over No. 7 Purdue in its Big Ten opener. It ignited a basketball celebration on the court by fans who hope to finally see success like this on a regular basis. It also helped set the tone for the Penn State fanbase heading into a Big Ten championship weekend for the football team.

But on Thursday, basketball was the story of the night as head coach Mike Rhoades hopped on a microphone to address the fans on the court and remind them this is what they are all working for. You had to love it!

Here are some of the best photos from Penn State basketball’s big celebration in Happy Valley following the win over Purdue.

Penn State will be back in action next Tuesday, Dec. 10 with a road game at Rutgers in Big Ten play. Penn State could be playing its first game as a top 25 team under Mike Rhoades by the time that game tips.

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Penn State basketball pulls off statement upset of No. 7 Purdue

Penn State’s defense frustrated Purdue all night long, and the hot scoring of the Nittany Lions continued in a massive program win.

Penn State men’s basketball was off to a good start to the season but knew things were about to get much more difficult once Big Ten started up. Or was it? Penn State made a statement with a dominating victory over No. 7 Purdue on Thursday night in the Bryce Jordan Center. Penn State celebrated an 81-70 win over the Boilermakers, who have been the gold standard of Big Ten basketball, with a storming of the court. It was Penn State’s first win over a top-10 team since beating Maryland in 2019.

[autotag]Ace Baldwin Jr.[/autotag] led a balanced Penn State scoring attack with 17 points as five Nittany Lions scored in double figures. It was the defense of the Nittany Lions that set the tone and gave Purdue frustration all night long. Purdue turned the basketball over 24 times, and Penn State drew even with the Boilermakers in rebounds with 24 apiece. Penn State also had two blocks (one from [autotag]Yanic Konan Niederhauser[/autotag] and one from [autotag]Zach Hicks[/autotag]).

Ace Baldwin Jr. was called for a technical foul following a big three-pointer in the second half for a celebratory gesture used to suggest he has ice in his veins, which was defended vehemently by head coach Mike Rhoades. The former VCU player and coach combination have helped transform Penn State basketball into a legitimate basketball team capable of making a run to an NCAA Tournament appearance. Of course, there is a long way to go and Penn State will have to keep up this kind of play throughout conference play.

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But this offense continues to shine and the defensive skill of the Nittany Lions is going to cause some problems for opposing Big Ten teams.

Penn State will be back in Big Ten action in its next game when it visits Rutgers on Tuesday, Dec. 10. The Nittany Lions will then resume non-conference matchups before Big Ten play resumes in the new year.

Here’s hoping the good vibes from the basketball court find their way to the football field in Indianapolis this weekend. Penn State faces No. 1 Orgeon in the Big Ten championship game on Saturday night, with the College Football Playoff on the horizon.

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Best photos from Penn State’s blowout win at Purdue

Here are some of the best shots taken from Penn State’s latest win against the Boilermakers.

Penn State continueds to keep up its pace for a possible spot in the College Football Playoff with an easy road win at Purdue in Week 12. Penn State dominated the Boilermakers, 49-10, in a game highlighted by big plays from star players Drew Allar, Tyler Warren, and Abdul Carter. The Nittany Lions improved to 9-1 with the win and continued to be in a great position for hosting a possible first-round College Football Playoff game with just two games remaining in the regular season.

There were plenty of reasons to smile on this one, even if the quality of the opponent was one of the lowest Penn State will face this season.

Here are some of the best photos from Penn State’s lopsided win against the Boilermakers.

Penn State will be on the road next week when the Nittany Lions visit Minnesota. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS. Minnesota had the week off after losing a road game at Rutgers in Week 11.

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Penn State steamrolls Purdue to move to 9-1, keep home playoff game hopes looking strong

Tyler Warren and Drew Allar lead Penn State to blow out win over lifeless Purdue to keep home playoff game in reach.

[autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] threw three touchdowns and [autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag] racked up 190 all-purpose yards with two touchdowns scored as Penn State easily took care of Purdue on the road on Saturday afternoon. Penn State’s 49-10 victory over the Boilermakers improved the Nittany Lions to 9-1 with two games remaining in the regular season. The win helps keep Penn State’s Big Ten title hopes alive for now and keeps them in a good position to host a first-round game in the upcoming College Football Playoff.

Penn State’s offense got off to a strong start with two long touchdown drives on their first two offensive series, including the game-opening drive. Allar completed a short touchdown pass to [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] to cap the opening drive of the game with a score and an early lead. On Penn State’s second possession, Allar then completed a pass to Warren for a 15-yard touchdown to go up 14-0. The second touchdown drive of the game covered a span of 93 yards.

[autotag]Nicholas Singleton[/autotag] gave Penn State a 21-3 lead in the third quarter with a 10-yard touchdown run immediately following a big gain through the air by Warren on a well-designed play. Warren took the snap and tossed it back to Allar on the right side of the field. Allar then completed a cross-field pass back to Warren, who took off for a big gain down the left sideline.

Purdue had a great shot to cut the early deficit to 14-7 but De’Nylon Morrissette caught a seemingly wide-open pass just outside of the Purdue endzone. It seemed he was confused by his spot on the field as he stood just outside the end zone’s markings where the sideline was painted the same color. Even if he got back inbounds though, he would have been flagged for stepping out of bounds before touching the football. Purdue settled for a field goal, and it would be the only points they put on the board until midway through the fourth quarter with the game well in hand.

The offense had a terrific game, but so did the defense. Not surprisingly, [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag] was the center of attention throughout the game with his pressure and speed leading to some big moments. Carter had five tackles, all solo, including two tackles for loss and a QB hurry. But it was a play he made chasing down a Purdue ball carrier that drew a big response from CBS broadcaster Gary Danielson. Carter shed a blocker as he came across the line of field and chased down C.J. Smith, who caught a short screen pass on the other side of the line. Carter brought him down from behind after blazing past the blocker.

With a 35-3 lead late in the third quarter, Penn State began taking out starters and focused on running the clock as much as possible. Beau Pribula enjoyed the moment with a 49-yard touchdown run and a late fourth-quarter touchdown pass of 24 yards to Luke Reynolds for some extra style points for the College Football Playoff selection committee to soak in.

Penn State will be on the road next week when the Nittany Lions visit Minnesota. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS. Minnesota had the week off after losing a road game at Rutgers in Week 11. Penn State leads the all-time series with Minnesota 10-6 and won the most recent meeting with the Gophers in 2022, 45-17. But Penn State lost the last time it visited Minnesota in 2019, 31-26.

A win next week in Minnesota and Penn State would wrap up the regular season at home against Maryland knowing it will very likely be playing one more game in Beaver Stadium in December. But a win next week is probably essential to keep that hope going.

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Penn State vs. Purdue injury report: Latest updates, news for Week 12

All the latest updates and news on Penn State’s injury report ahead of a Week 12 game vs. Purdue.

After a big primetime victory in front of a whiteout crowd last weekend, Penn State looks to keep the good vibes rolling this week on the road against Purdue, a team with just one win all season. It would seem this would be a good week for the Nittany Lions to take a foot slightly off the gas pedal and rest some key players, but the Nittany Lions are caught in a position where it needs to continue racking up some style points to secure a potential first-round home game in the College Football Playoff while not risking any serious injuries to key players.

Penn State has some key players that have been banged up this season and in recent weeks, so it will be interesting to see how the team approached this afternoon’s Big Ten contest in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Big Ten teams are required to provide an updated player availability report two hours prior to kickoff. The information below will be updated once those reports go live from the Big Ten office.

Penn State injury report

OUT

  • Kevin Winston Jr.
  • Kaden Saunders
  • Cam Wallace
  • Keon Wylie
  • Zuriah Fisher
  • Andrew Rappleyea

Purdue injury report

OUT

  • Botros Alisandro
  • Damarjhe Lewis

QUESTIONABLE

  • Jamarius Dinkins
  • Mo Omonode

Nicholas Singleton injury update

Penn State star running back [autotag]Nicholas Singleton[/autotag] was taken out of last week’s game in the third quarter and he did not return to action. Singleton suffered what head coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] termed a short-term injury, and it is expected Singleton will be available and play Saturday against Purdue. The nature of the injury was undisclosed and Penn State went on to win last week’s game 35-6, so there may have been less of a push to get Singleton back in the game anyway. And even this week, if Singleton is available to go, it would not be shocking if Penn State lightens his workload a bit in a game the Nittany Lions should win handily.

Dani Dennis-Sutton injury update

[autotag]Dani Dennis-Sutton[/autotag] left the Wisconsin game three weeks ago with an injury and has been slowly working his way back to full strength. Dennis-Sutton played just five snaps two weeks ago against Ohio State and doubled that to 10 snaps last week against Washignton after being listed as questionable.

Coziah Izzard injury update

[autotag]Coziah Izzard[/autotag] was banged up two weeks ago against Ohio State and was listed as questionable for last week’s game against Washington. Izzard did not play in the game.

Penn State faces Purdue at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+. The Nittany Lions are a four-touchdown favorite.

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Penn State schedule: Is Penn State playing today? 

Is Penn State playing today? Here’s a look at the schedule and the games to come. 

Penn State will continue its journey to a possible spot in the College Football Playoff on Saturday afternoon in West Lafayette, Indiana when it faces the Purdue Boilermakers in Big Ten action this afternoon. All indications are this should be a virtual walkthrough for the Nittany Lions as they play the first of back-to-back road games in November.

Penn State won at home in a primetime game against Washington in front of a whiteout crowd last weekend. The 35-6 win was the perfect rebound win after taking its first loss of the season the previous week, and the win helped keep Penn State firmly among the top-ranked teams in the country according to the College Football Playoff selection committee. Penn State remains on course to potentially host a first-round playoff game in December but will likely have to win its final remaining games in the regular season to do so.

That work begins this afternoon with its road game at Purdue. You can watch the game at 3:30 p.m. on CBS, and Penn State is a massive favorite in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Penn State has dominated the all-time series with Purdue, with the majority of the meetings coming once the Nittany Lions joined the Big Ten. The Boilermakers should be no real test for Penn State with just one win this season, but Penn State cannot afford to take anything for granted with the selection committee watching closely in the final weeks of the season.

Here is a look at Penn State’s 2024 schedule with all results so far, and what games remain in the regular season.

Penn State 2024 schedule

  • Aug. 31: at West Virginia (W, 34-12)
  • Sept. 7: Bowling Green (W, 34-27)
  • Sept. 21: Kent State (W, 56-0)
  • Sept. 28: Illinois (W, 21-7)
  • Oct. 5: UCLA (W, 27-11)
  • Oct. 12: at USC (W, 33-30 OT)
  • Oct. 26: at Wisconsin (W, 28-13)
  • Nov. 2: Ohio State (L, 20-13)
  • Nov. 9: Washington (W, 35-6)
  • Nov. 16: at Purdue
  • Nov. 23: at Minnesota
  • Nov. 30: Maryland
  • Record: 8-1

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Alabama basketball schedule: Are the Crimson Tide playing today? 

Is Alabama playing today? Here’s a look at the schedule and the games to come. 

Friday night will mark the biggest game of the 2024-25 season so far for the Alabama Crimson Tide, as the nation’s No. 2 team travels to West Lafayette, Indiana for a Top 25 showdown against the Purdue Boilermakers.

Both of the Crimson Tide and Boilermakers made a Final Four appearance a year ago, with each program also ranking among the top programs in each’s respective conference.

The game between the Crimson Tide and Boilermakers will officially begin Friday, November 15 at 7 p.m. ET on Peacock. Alabama vs. Purdue will be played from Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Alabama Crimson Tide 2024-25 schedule

  • Nov. 4: vs. UNC Asheville (W, 110-54)
  • Nov. 8: vs. Arkansas State (W, 88-79)
  • Nov. 11: vs. McNeese State (W, 72-64)
  • Nov. 15: at Purdue
  • Nov. 20: vs. Illinois at C.M. Newton Classic in Birmingham, Alabama
  • Nov. 26-30: vs. Houston, Rutgers, Notre Dame at Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Dec. 4: at North Carolina in ACC/SEC Challenge
  • Dec. 14: vs. Creighton
  • Dec. 18: at North Dakota
  • Dec. 22: vs. Kent State
  • Dec. 29: vs. South Dakota State
  • Jan. 4: vs. Oklahoma
  • Jan. 8: at South Carolina
  • Jan. 11: at Texas A&M
  • Jan. 14: vs. Ole Miss
  • Jan. 18: at Kentucky
  • Jan. 21: vs. Vanderbilt
  • Jan. 25: vs. LSU
  • Jan. 29: at Mississippi State
  • Feb. 1: vs. Georgia
  • Feb. 8: at Arkansas
  • Feb. 11: at Texas
  • Feb. 15: vs. Auburn
  • Feb. 19: at Missouri
  • Feb. 22: vs. Kentucky
  • Feb. 25: vs. Mississippi State
  • March 1: at Tennessee
  • March 5: vs. Florida
  • March 8: at Auburn

Record: 3-0 overall

Penn State vs. Purdue: Staff predictions for Week 12 matchup

Penn State is the easy pick this weekend according to our staff picks. Agree?

Penn State is a big favorite on the road this weekend at Purdue, and it is easy to see why. Penn State is ranked fourth in the College Football Playoff rankings coming into the weekend, and Purdue has just one win all season. Is this a mismatch too easy to take lightly, or will Penn State go out and smash the Boilermakers to remain on pace for a home playoff game?

You can see our Big Ten picks for this weekend, but we always share our expanded thoughts and final score predictions for the Penn State game in a separate post. So without any further delay, here are our predictions for this weekend’s matchup between the Nittany Lions and Purdue.

Brad: This is a game that Penn State should dominate, and based on the statistical profiles of the two teams, they will. The Nittany Lions are going to get a ton of their young players reps in this one, so it might not be as decisive of a victory as it otherwise would be, but they should still be able to put up points and shut down Purdue with the young guys in.

Penn State 40, Purdue 7

Charlie: Purdue has only scored 7 combined points against Notre Dame, Oregon and Ohio State. Penn State is definitely in that tier and its defense should have a field day. The Nittany Lions need to show they are truly dominant and ready for a playoff run with a big win against the Boilermakers.

Penn State 42, Purdue 7

Kevin: I think last week was a strong indication that this Penn State team is ready to finish the season on a strong note and force their way into a first-round home playoff matchup. The way in which Penn State bounced back from the loss to Ohio State is an encouraging sign, and Purdue is not the opponent that should instill much fear in them on the road this week.

Purdue has been going through a rough season and it;s not about to get any prettier this weekend. Penn State should jump out to a comfortable four-touchdown lead by halftime and put this thing on cruise control in the second half with a running game working the clock.

Penn State 38, Purdue 9

Shayne: Penn State coasted to a 35-6 victory over Washington in its annual White Out game a week ago. Purdue meanwhile continued to struggle, losing 45-0 to Ohio State to fall to 1-8 on the year.

Purdue has been one of the worst FBS teams in the country this year, so Penn State should dominate this game from start to finish. If they don’t look like the far superior team, however, it will be yet another sign that they aren’t fully prepared for a playoff run.

Penn State 42, Purdue 10

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