The rivalry between Purdue and Indiana has lost some steam in recent years, but Purdue Boilermakers athletic director Tommy McClellan stoked the fire in his initial press conference. He took a shot at Indiana football, saying, “We are here to win championships. If you don’t want to win championships, go to Indiana.”
It’s a confusing jab to make at this point, since the Indiana Hoosiers are coming off a 2025 season where they went undefeated national champions. They put up the second-highest point differential (+479) for any team in college football history, behind the 2013 Florida State Seminoles, and they won their three College Football Playoff games by an average of 25 points per game.
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Purdue, on the other hand, is coming off a 2025 season where they had a -157 point differential, ranking No. 4 for worst point differential among Power 4 opponents. The Boilermakers went 2-10, including 0-9 in the Big Ten. They have yet to make a bowl game since 2022, and they haven’t won a national championship since 1931 (they didn’t claim it).
The Purdue vs. Indiana rivalry, also known as the “Old Oaken Bucket” rivalry, has been lopsided as of late. Although Purdue has the series lead, with a 77-44-6 record all-time, they’ve lost the last two games 66-0 (2024) and 56-3 (2025). McClellan and the Boilermakers will get to walk the walk against Indiana on Nov. 28, 2026.
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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: New Purdue AD takes baffling shot at Indiana in intro press conference
