Purdue’s moment at Big Ten Media Day is Wednesday, and the Boilermakers will once again face questions after being picked last in two preseason polls.
It’s the third straight year the program has been voted last in the preseason rankings, which are not affiliated with the conference.
It’s not a surprise. A 2-10 record and 18-straight conference losses will do that.
The Cleveland.com poll and Doug Lesmerises, who covers Ohio State and national college football, were the authors of the preseason polls.
Lesmerises started the poll in Cleveland back when the conference had 11 teams, and the league discontinued its preseason rankings. Lesmerises moved to other jobs, but kept publishing a preseason poll, with the help of Big Ten and national media members.
This is the 16th year for the cleveland.com poll, but the media has picked the Big Ten champion only four times.
The polls are similar, maybe because they use most of the same writers. Let’s compare.
LESMERISES POLL (CLEVELAND POLL)
1-Ohio State (Ohio State)
2-Oregon (Oregon)
3-Indiana (Indiana)
4-USC (USC)
5-Michigan (Michigan)
6-Washington (Penn State)
7-Penn State (Washington)
8-Iowa (Iowa)
9-Illinois (Illinois)
10-Minnesota (Minnesota)
11-Nebraska (Nebraska)
12-UCLA (Wisconsin)
13-Wisconsin (UCLA)
14-Northwestern (Northwestern)
15-Maryland (Maryland)
16-Michigan State (Michigan State)
17-Rutgers (Rutgers)
18-Purdue (Purdue)
BOLD: Purdue opponents
How tough is Purdue’s Big Ten schedule? The nine conference games are against the top 15 in the polls, but only one in the top five.
While Purdue avoids the top two, it faces four road games against the top 12. Getting Maryland at home should help, and who knows what Wisconsin - and Purdue - will look like in late November.
But the key game is Sept. 12 against Wake Forest. It’s a non-conference game, but this matchup will determine Purdue’s fate for the entire season. A victory gives the Boilermakers a chance to finish the first month no worse than 2-2. A loss likely sends them spiraling to a 1-3 mark before October.
They’ll beat Indiana State. The matchup at UCLA will be a tough ask, and we know what will happen against Notre Dame. Beat Wake Forest, and Purdue has a chance to make the last two months meaningful. Lose, and that 18-game conference losing streak likely balloons.
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Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith was the overwhelming choice for Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, according to the poll put together by Lesmerises.
Smith was followed in the voting by five quarterbacks - Oregon’s Dante Moore, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, Indiana’s Josh Hoover, USC’s Jayden Maiava and Washington’s Desmond Williams Jr. Purdue will face Hoover and Williams during the regular season.
For Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, 19 appeared on ballots, with 12 receiving a first-place vote. Oregon defensive tackle A’Mauri Washington earned the top spot, edging out Minnesota defensive end Anthony Smith. Oregon safety Koi Pearch came in a close third.
The Boilermakers will face eight of the 16 defensive players who received a vote.
One more exhibition game remains on Purdue’s trip to Vancouver after Tuesday night’s 79-48 win over the University of Calgary at Simon Fraser University.
The Boilermakers will play their fourth game in five days on Wednesday, taking on the University of Fraser Valley (5 p.m. ET).
Antoine West Jr continued his solid play, reaching double figures for the third time by scoring 14 points. Gicarri Harris and Omer Mayer each scored 11 points, and 10 players scored.
Neither team was sharp from 3-point range. Purdue made 7 of 28, with West and Luke Ertel each hitting two. Meanwhile, the University of Calgary was 4 of 23 from beyond the arc.
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As we’ve reported, Katie Gearlds and the Boilermakers will participate in the WBCA Showcase in November at the State Farm Field House at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The official word came Tuesday.
Nov. 19 vs. Florida State, 11 a.m.
Nov. 21 vs. Texas Tech, 2:30 p.m.
The games are part of the non-conference schedule, which still hasn’t been finalized.
Purdue is expected to host Central Michigan on Dec. 10 and face Murray State at Mackey Arena. The Boilermakers also travel to Dayton, which features Sophie Swanson and Jordyn Poole, a pair of transfers who left West Lafayette in recent seasons.
Purdue could face another Power 4 opponent, joining Florida State and Texas Tech, but most of the schedule will be against non-Power 4 programs.
The Boilermakers and the Seminoles will meet for the third time since 2021-22. Gearlds won her first game as Purdue’s head coach against Florida State in 2021 at the St. Pete Showcase.
The matchup against the Red Raiders is the third meeting between the programs. Purdue beat Texas Tech in the 2001 Sweet 16 in Birmingham and knocked off Xavier in the regional finals to advance to the Final Four.
Kiki Smith, a member of Gearlds’ program last season, transferred to Texas Tech but suffered a knee injury this summer and is out for the season.
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