Purdue Opponent Preview: Notre Dame and more

This fall, a new era of Purdue football begins as Barry Odom fields his first squad in West Lafayette. A tall task awaits Odom, who will seek to turn the tide after Purdue went just 5-19 over the last two seasons, including a paltry 1-11 campaign a year ago. The schedule won’t hand Purdue many easy wins, either.

Over the summer, GoldandBlack.com will preview the 12 opponents on the schedule. Today, we finish non-conference play with a glance at Notre Dame thanks to Tyler Horka of On3’s Blue and Gold Illustrated.

The overview

Purdue returns to Notre Dame Stadium for just the second time since 2012. The two played annually from 1946 to 2014, but a hiatus put the rivalry on pause. It returned in 2021, when missed opportunities haunted Purdue in a 27-13 loss beneath the Golden Dome. Purdue and Notre Dame are slated to meet each of the next four years. After that, the future of the Shillelagh remains unknown.

Name to know: offense

RB Jeremiyah Love. A true junior, it’s almost a foregone conclusion Love is playing his final year of collegiate football this fall. He’s a surefire 2026 NFL Draft pick. He scored a touchdown in 14 of Notre Dame’s 16 games last season, and he was a human highlight reel. He’s a jumps higher, runs faster kind of player. If the Irish weren’t so balanced in the way they run the ball, he’d be getting a ton of Heisman Trophy hype. He’s getting some anyway. He’s that good. 

Name to know: defense

CB Leonard Moore. Back-to-back All-American Xavier Watts is no longer in South Bend, but he hands the secondary over to sophomore cornerback Leonard Moore. Moore was a freshman All-American. He’s a true lockdown boundary corner; he prides himself on allowing as few catches as possible to the opposition. And he does a dang good job of it. From Pro Football Focus to other player-grading outlets, Moore was one of the best corners in college football in 2024 as a true freshman. 

Biggest question

Who’s the quarterback and how good is he? This is only the second time in the last five seasons Notre Dame did not go to the transfer portal for a starting quarterback. It’s either sophomore CJ Carr or junior Kenny Minchey’s job. How far the Fighting Irish go in 2025 will largely be up to who wins the job and how effective that player is at operating the offense. 

Key newcomer

WR Malachi Fields. Fields, a Virginia wide receiver transfer, will help whoever Notre Dame’s first-time starting quarterback is in a big way. He’s a big-body target who you can just throw the ball up to and expect him to come down with it. The Irish have been missing an option like that in their offense lately. Fields could be a difference maker. 

Early outlook on Purdue vs. Notre Dame

It can’t possibly get worse. On a scorching hot September day, a new Purdue record was set when Notre Dame eviscerated the Boilermakers in a 66-7 defeat in West Lafayette last season. The loss became the largest margin of defeat in Purdue history, only to be topped two-and-a-half months later by Indiana. Nobody will project Purdue to win this one – Purdue holds a 12-32 all-time record in South Bend – but a more competitive affair would be welcomed by the Boilermaker faithful.

2025 expectations

It’s very feasible Notre Dame could run it back and make another deep trip into the College Football Playoff. The personnel on defense remains top-tier every year in the Marcus Freeman era, and the offense could take a big leap forward in the passing game. The running game is expected to remain elite. If it all comes together, you could very well see the Irish in the national championship game again. They should be one of 12 playoff teams at a minimum. 

Previous previews: Ball State | Southern Illinois | USC

2025 Purdue football schedule

Date	Opponent
Aug. 30	Ball State, Noon ET, BTN
Sept. 6	Southern Illinois, 7:30 p.m. ET, BTN
Sept. 13	USC, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS
Sept. 20	at Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m. ET, NBC
Sept. 27	BYE
Oct. 4	Illinois
Oct. 11	at Minnesota, 7/7:30 p.m. ET, TV TBA
Oct. 18	at Northwestern
Oct. 25	Rutgers, Noon ET, TV TBA
Nov. 1	at Michigan
Nov. 8	Ohio State
Nov. 15	at Washington
Nov. 22	BYE
Nov. 28	Indiana, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC (Friday)