Purdue Football: Will Boilermakers bounce back in 2020?

How will Purdue football fare in 2020?

Predictions based on the current eight-game schedule announced on Sept. 19.

• Week 1: vs Iowa (L) — Boilermakers play tough but start off the season with a loss.
• Week 2: at Illinois (W) — Purdue’s offense has a field day and gets win number one.
• Week 3: at Wisconsin  (L) — Badgers are too much as Purdue picks up another loss.
• Week 4: vs Northwestern (W) — I’m sensing a pattern as Purdue gets back to .500.
• Week 5: at Minnesota  (L) — Loss number three but only by one possession.
• Week 6: vs Rutgers (W) — Boilermakers keep to the pattern, lay beatdown on Scarlet Knights.
• Week 7: vs Nebraska  (L) — Purdue comes close to the upset but falls short.
• Week 8: at Indiana (W) — The Old Oaken Bucket is going back to West Lafayette.

Prediction: 4-4, 4th in Big Ten West

This is a weird year and has made things in college football very interesting and also very entertaining. Purdue is an average football team that has the ability to pull off some upsets. Unfortunately, after a wacky offseason, or lack thereof, Purdue will struggle against their stronger opponents but should thrive, if healthy, against teams on or below their level.

Do not expect the Boilermakers to contend for a West title, but expect them to make things interesting and very difficult for the division’s powerhouses. And I want to just state that their regular-season finale against in-state rival, the Indiana Hoosiers, could be one of the best games in not just the Big Ten, but in all of college football in 2020.

Last season is one Boilermaker fans want to forget about, and after 2020, it will be a thing of the past Purdue makes much-needed improvement for a program that needs it more than ever.