Oklahoma State opponent watch: Taking a quick look at Purdue

By Anthony Slater – Aslater@opubco.com - @anthonyVslater

Oklahoma State faces Purdue in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. Here’s a quick look at the Boilermakers:

Purdue
Conference - Big Ten
Record – 6-6 overall, 3-5 in the Big Ten

Best win – 56-35 over Indiana

You may scoff at the opponent, but it’s tough to find a better win among Purdue’s underwhelming list (Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Michigan, Marshall, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana). There’s not a bowl-eligible team among the six, which speaks loudly toward the general ineptness in the Big Ten this season, eventually won by an 8-5 Wisconsin team. So I’ll go with a nice 21-point season-ending blowout of an in-state rival to backdoor your way into a bowl.

Worst loss – 44-28 at Minnesota

Purdue’s losses are far more impressive than some of its wins. In all truth, a few of them actually legitimize their bowl eligibility, even if they didn’t help the Boilermakers get there. We’ll go with Minnesota as the worst defeat. The Golden Gophers aren’t good. But how about the Ohio State game? Or the Notre Dame game? Purdue put legitimate scares in both of the country’s unbeaten teams, taking the Buckeyes to overtime (one of two teams to do so) and losing to the Fighting Irish on a last-minute field goal.

Season overview

Not great, not terrible. Just Purdue being Purdue. The Boilermakers won six games and lost six games, equaling their record from a year ago and eclipsing the mark they put up in the previous three. Nationally, they’ve been irrelevant for a while, struggling to stay above warted in the Big Ten and considering any bowl recognition a good one.