Heading into the season, it felt like Purdue had some real promise. Safety Dillon Thieneman was an All-American. Talented quarterback Hudson Card was in his second year with the program. Running back Devin Mockobee is one of the more underrated rushers in the Big Ten. Even a 49-0 decimation of FCS Indiana State seemed to portend good things.
Instead, the Boilermakers are cratering. In their first FBS game of the year, Purdue lost 66-7 against Notre Dame, the worst loss in the 128-year history of the rivalry. They were shut out against both Ohio State and Oregon. Purdue’s minus-28.4 point margin is 133rd nationally, only ahead of Kent State. Next up is, gulp, No. 4 Penn State on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS).
Purdue took a chance in 2023 by hiring Ryan Walters, a young defensive coordinator who excelled at Illinois and was the 247Sports Defensive Coordinator of the Year in 2022. Walters’ energy was a welcome addition and translated into a top-30 recruiting class in his first season. However, the on-field product is well below expectations. According to a panel of CBS Sports and 247Sports college football writers, Walters faces a critical November to stay off the wrong end of the hot seat…