Purdue Football Faces Nation’s Most Grueling Schedule

If you believe collegefootballnews.com, the Purdue Boilermakers have the nation’s most difficult college football schedule in 2023.

Purdue, which will be under the direction of first-year head coach Ryan Walters, will face 11 Power 5 opponents in the regular-season. The Boilermakers’ 12th regular-season foe is Fresno State, a team that won 10 games last season and won the Mountain West Conference.

In Collegefootballnews.com’s rankings of all 133 Football Bowl Division teams’ schedules, Nebraska (15th) and Michigan State (19th tied) were the only other Big Ten schools to be ranked among the top 20 toughest slates in the land.

Other schedules of interest and where they were ranked included, Ohio State (tied 40th), Indiana (ranked 42nd), Notre Dame (51st) and Michigan State (65th).

For a complete list of collegefootballnews.com’s rankings click on the following link https://collegefootballnews.com/rankings/college-football-schedule-rankings-easiest-to-hardest-1-133

Purdue is coming off a 2022 season in which it won its first-ever West Division Big Ten title and played in the Big Ten Championship game.

The Boilermakers finished 8-6 overall, 6-3 in the Big Ten a year ago.

After the season, Purdue saw its head coach Jeff Brohm bolt for his alma mater Louisville. As a result, the Boilermakers turned to Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters to take over their program.

Walters quickly hired offensive wiz Graham Harrell from West Virginia. Harrell is known for his air-raid offense.

One of the biggest wins this off-season for Walters and Harrell was convincing Texas quarterback Hudson Card, one of the top players in the transfer portal, to bring his talents to West Lafayette. Card will replace Aidan O’Connell, who is now playing for the Las Vegas Raiders.

During his Purdue career, O’Connell threw for more than 9,200 yards with 65 touchdowns and 30 interceptions.

In two seasons at Texas, the 6-foot-2 Card started three games and threw for more than 1,500 yards with 11 touchdowns and two interceptions.

No doubt Card will be counted on heavily as will returning running back Devin Mockobee, who nearly rushed for 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns in his collegiate debut season.

Card, Mockobee and the rest of the offense will have to be good and so, too, will an expected improved defense.

Last year Purdue’s D allowed more than 27 points a game. By comparison, Walters led Illini defense led the nation, permitting 12.8 points per game.

Without question, Walters will need his team to be hitting on all cylinders early and often if his first year in West Lafayette is to be a success.

After all, Purdue’s 12 opponents went a combined 85-68 and eight had winning records and played in bowl games in ’22. Those eight teams were a combined 73-33 a year ago.

As you can see, Walters’ first Purdue team has its work cut out, especially if the program wants to go to a fifth bowl in the last six seasons.

The Boilermakers open their season in newly renovated Ross-Ade Stadium at noon Sept. 2 against Fresno State.

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