(Schedule graphic credit: Purdue Athletics)

Purdue’s 2020 football schedule was released this morning and if you perhaps thought the previous schedule was tricky, whoo-baby, this one is a kick in the pants.

Instead of opening with a tune-up at Nebraska, Purdue how hits the road to Ann Arbor to play Jimmy Harbaugh’s Michigan rappin’ squad. Ohio State now jumps onto the schedule, too, in their own personal house of horrors, Ross-Ade Stadium. And here we didn’t think we’d ever get a chance to see Rondale pick them apart in R-A again. Let’s take a look at the old vs the new here.

Original                                                             Revised

9/5 – Purdue at Nebraska                          Purdue at Michigan
9/12 – Purdue vs Memphis                        Purdue vs Iowa
9/19 – Purdue vs Air Force                         Purdue vs Ohio State
9/26 – Purdue at BC                                     Purdue at Illinois
10/10 – Purdue vs Rutgers                          Purdue at Wisconsin
10/17 – Purdue at Illinois                             Purdue vs Rutgers
10/24 – Purdue at Michigan                       Purdue at Minnesota
10/31 – Purdue vs Northwestern              Purdue vs Northwestern
11/7 – Purdue at Minnesota                       BYE
11/14 – Purdue vs Wisconsin                     Purdue vs Nebraska
11/21 – Purdue vs Iowa                               Purdue at Indiana
11/28 – Purdue at Indiana                          BYE 

So one Big Ten game gets added and for Purdue it’s Ohio State at home. Okie dokie. The Wisconsin game goes from being at home to being on the road at Camp Randall. That feels like two hard shots to the ribs, honestly. Purdue now gets Scott Frost’s crew at Ross-Ade instead of in Lincoln, plus it’s now near the end of the season when Nebraska will be fighting for bowl eligibility (or maybe will be ready to pack it in). Everything else is still in the stadium it was originally scheduled to be in, with the only date remaining the same being the Halloween matchup against NW.

So what does this mean? Who the hell knows? Did you come here for analysis? Sorry, it’s been a while. I’m rusty.

I think it’s hard to not see this as a more difficult schedule. Clearly, playing ten conference games and no games against any patsies is tougher. (I know, Captain Obvious.) That is a hell of an opening three-game slate and, to me, it means 0-3 is totally possible without Purdue being a bad team. (If that isn’t a Purdue fan lament, I don’t know what is.)

We’ll of course have more as the season approaches (a month from today!) but I will say I personally see this going from a likely 7 to 9 win season to perhaps a 5-5 campaign. I like Purdue against Illinois, Rutgers, Northwestern, Nebraska and Indiana, plus you never know when Rondale will go supernova and generate an unexpected win. Could they beat Iowa at home? Absolutely. Could they return the favor at Minnesota this year as the Gophers come hurtling back to Earth? For sure.

So I guess what I’m saying is 10-0 is on the table.