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Purdue vs. Wisconsin

Purdue and Wisconsin have 91 meetings on file, the first in 1892; Wisconsin leads the series 54–⁠29–⁠8 in the games on file. Over the last 10 meetings it’s Wisconsin 10–⁠0, and Wisconsin has won the last 18.

Purdue wins
29
Wisconsin wins
54
Ties
8
Earliest on file
1892
Longest streak
18 Wisconsin
Current streak
18 Wisconsin
Last 10 meetings
Wisconsin 10–⁠0
Most recent
2024

The series at a glance

’0’1’2’3’4’5’6’7’8’9W–L
1890s2–⁠1
1900s0–⁠2
1910s0–⁠3–⁠1
1920s1–⁠2–⁠2
1930s6–⁠2–⁠2
1940s3–⁠5
1950s1–⁠7–⁠1
1960s3–⁠2
1970s5–⁠3–⁠1
1980s3–⁠4
1990s3–⁠5–⁠1
2000s2–⁠4
2010s0–⁠10
2020s0–⁠4
Both ranked
6 meetings: Purdue 2, Wisconsin 4; 3 both in the top 10
Average margin
13.9 points; 32 decided by one score (8 or fewer)
At Purdue
16–⁠24–⁠3 Purdue’s record at home
At Wisconsin
30–⁠13–⁠5 Wisconsin’s record at home
Shutouts
16

Every meeting on file, as played. Ranks are the AP poll’s going in.

Games that tell the story

  1. Purdue’s biggest win1965: Purdue 45, Wisconsin 7by 38 points
  2. Wisconsin’s biggest win2024: Wisconsin 52, Purdue 6by 46 points
  3. Upset1935: Wisconsin 8, Purdue 0Wisconsin had a 27% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  4. Upset1940: Wisconsin 14, Purdue 13Wisconsin had a 29% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  5. Ranked showdown1954: Wisconsin 20, Purdue 6No. 5 Purdue at No. 2 Wisconsin
  6. Ranked showdown2004: Wisconsin 20, Purdue 17No. 10 Wisconsin at No. 5 Purdue
  7. Ranked showdown1959: Purdue 21, Wisconsin 0No. 9 Wisconsin at No. 7 Purdue
  8. Ranked showdown1958: Wisconsin 31, Purdue 6No. 13 Purdue at No. 6 Wisconsin

Coach against coach

YearsPurdueSeriesWisconsin
1913–⁠1915Andy Smith0–⁠2–⁠1William Juneau
1927–⁠1929James Phelan1–⁠1–⁠1Glenn Thistlethwaite
1932–⁠1935Noble Kizer3–⁠1Clarence Spears
1937–⁠1941Mal Elward1–⁠2–⁠2Harry Stuhldreher
1944–⁠1946Cecil Isbell2–⁠1Harry Stuhldreher
1950–⁠1955Stuart Holcomb0–⁠5Ivy Williamson
1956–⁠1966Jack Mollenkopf4–⁠4–⁠1Milt Bruhn
1973–⁠1976Alex Agase2–⁠2John Jardine
1978–⁠1981Jim Young2–⁠1–⁠1Dave McClain
1982–⁠1984Leon Burtnett0–⁠3Dave McClain
1991–⁠1996Jim Colletto2–⁠3–⁠1Barry Alvarez
1997–⁠2005Joe Tiller3–⁠4Barry Alvarez
2009–⁠2012Danny Hope0–⁠4Bret Bielema
2017–⁠2021Jeff Brohm0–⁠4Paul Chryst

Head-coach pairings with three or more meetings on file, the series read from Purdue’s side (Smith 0–⁠2–⁠1 against Juneau). A season split between coaches goes to the one credited with the game.

Both programs through the years

End-of-season Elo ratings of Purdue and Wisconsin, 1892 on1300150017001900192019401960198020002020

Our Elo rating at the end of each season, a measure of how strong a team was, not a forecast; 1500 is an average FBS team.

Stars of the series

Biggest days

David Blough Purdue31 of 48, 386 yards, 4 TD2018 Passing
Jonathan Taylor Wisconsin33 carries, 321 yards, 3 TD2018 Rushing
Montee Ball Wisconsin29 carries, 247 yards, 3 TD2012 Rushing
Montee Ball Wisconsin20 carries, 223 yards, 3 TD2011 Rushing
Leo Chenal Wisconsin9 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 5.5 for loss2021 Defense
Melvin Gordon Wisconsin25 carries, 205 yards, 1 TD2014 Rushing

Biggest days: the week’s best individual games by our big-days rule, from box scores (2004 on).

From the newspapers

  • The The Indianapolis journal's story of the 1892 game: WASN'T IN IT WITH PURDUE Wisconsin University Eleven Fairly Slaughtered by the Farmers. "Billy" Crawfords Giants Get Touchdown and Goal in the First Half but Finally Retire Defeated by Score of 81 to 6. SPECIAL to the Indianapolis Journal.

    1892 · The Indianapolis journal, Indianapolis [Ind.], Oct 20, 1892

  • The The Birmingham age-herald's story of the 1907 game: FOOTBALL RESULTS

    1907 · The Birmingham age-herald, Alabama, Nov 17, 1907

  • The Wauwatosa news's story of the 1912 game: WISCONSIN, Al; PURDUE, o Badger University Football Team De- feats Boilermakers at Mad SON Beioit and Lawrence Play Tie.

    1912 · Wauwatosa news, Wauwatosa, Wis., Oct 25, 1912

  • The The Bemidji daily pioneer's story of the 1913 game: SEVERAL BIG SURPRISES Minnesota's Defeat By Nebraska Wisconsin Tie With Purdue and Michigans Trimming Unexpected GOPHERS LOSE 7 TO 0 SCORE

    1913 · The Bemidji daily pioneer, Bemidji, Minn., Oct 20, 1913

  • The Bismarck daily tribune's story of the 1914 game: WISCONSIN DEFEATS PURDUE IN FAST GAME Hoosier University Eliminated From Championship Race by Badgers Fierce Fight.

    1914 · Bismarck daily tribune, Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.], Oct 18, 1914

Public-domain newspapers from the Library of Congress’s Chronicling America, found through the American Stories dataset (Dell and Harvard, CC BY 4.0). The earliest meetings with a story on file; each game’s page has the full text.

On television

ESPN’s College GameDay has broadcast from this game twice: 2004, 2003.

College GameDay’s sites from Wikipedia’s list of its locations (CC BY-SA).

Photos

From the rivalry’s and its games’ categories on Wikimedia Commons (free licenses only, each credited).

Every game

Nov 21, 2026Wisconsin at Purdue upcomingat Purdue
Oct 5, 2024Wisconsin 52, Purdue 6at Wisconsin
Sep 22, 2023Wisconsin 38, Purdue 17at Purdue
Oct 22, 2022Wisconsin 35, Purdue 24at Wisconsin
Oct 23, 2021Wisconsin 30, 25Purdue 13at Purdue
Nov 23, 201914Wisconsin 45, Purdue 24at Wisconsin
Nov 17, 2018Wisconsin 47, Purdue 44at Purdue
Oct 14, 20177Wisconsin 17, Purdue 9at Wisconsin
Nov 19, 20166Wisconsin 49, Purdue 20at Purdue
Oct 17, 2015Wisconsin 24, Purdue 7at Wisconsin
Nov 8, 201425Wisconsin 34, Purdue 16at Purdue
Sep 21, 201324Wisconsin 41, Purdue 10at Wisconsin
Oct 13, 2012Wisconsin 38, Purdue 14at Purdue
Nov 5, 201119Wisconsin 62, Purdue 17at Wisconsin
Nov 6, 20107Wisconsin 34, Purdue 13at Purdue
Oct 31, 2009Wisconsin 37, Purdue 0at Wisconsin
Oct 21, 200621Wisconsin 24, Purdue 3at Purdue
Oct 22, 200519Wisconsin 31, Purdue 20at Wisconsin
Oct 16, 200410Wisconsin 20, 5Purdue 17at Purdue
Oct 18, 200313Purdue 26, 14Wisconsin 23at Wisconsin
Oct 21, 200017Purdue 30, Wisconsin 24at Wisconsin
Nov 6, 199910Wisconsin 28, 17Purdue 21at Purdue
Oct 10, 199812Wisconsin 31, Purdue 24at Wisconsin
Oct 18, 1997Purdue 45, 24Wisconsin 20at Purdue
Nov 2, 1996Wisconsin 33, Purdue 25at Wisconsin
Nov 4, 1995Purdue 38, Wisconsin 27at Purdue
Oct 15, 199423Wisconsin 27, Purdue 27at Wisconsin
Oct 16, 199316Wisconsin 42, Purdue 28at Purdue
Oct 17, 1992Wisconsin 19, Purdue 16at Wisconsin
Oct 19, 1991Purdue 28, Wisconsin 7at Purdue
Oct 29, 1988Purdue 9, Wisconsin 6at Wisconsin
Oct 31, 1987Purdue 49, Wisconsin 14at Purdue
Nov 10, 1984Wisconsin 30, Purdue 13at Wisconsin
Nov 12, 1983Wisconsin 42, Purdue 38at Purdue
Oct 2, 1982Wisconsin 35, Purdue 31at Purdue
Oct 3, 1981Wisconsin 20, Purdue 14at Wisconsin
Sep 13, 198020Purdue 12, Wisconsin 6at Wisconsin
Sep 8, 19796Purdue 41, Wisconsin 20at Purdue
Nov 11, 1978Wisconsin 24, 12Purdue 24at Wisconsin
Nov 5, 1977Purdue 22, Wisconsin 0at Wisconsin
Oct 9, 1976Purdue 18, Wisconsin 16at Wisconsin
Oct 11, 1975Wisconsin 17, Purdue 14at Purdue
Sep 14, 1974Wisconsin 28, Purdue 14at Purdue
Sep 15, 1973Purdue 14, Wisconsin 13at Wisconsin
Nov 11, 1972Purdue 27, Wisconsin 6at Purdue
Nov 6, 1971Wisconsin 14, Purdue 10at Wisconsin
Nov 5, 1966Purdue 23, Wisconsin 0at Wisconsin
Nov 6, 1965Purdue 45, Wisconsin 7at Purdue
Oct 10, 1964Purdue 28, Wisconsin 7at Purdue
Oct 12, 19635Wisconsin 38, Purdue 20at Wisconsin
Oct 8, 1960Wisconsin 24, 7Purdue 13at Wisconsin
Oct 10, 19597Purdue 21, 9Wisconsin 0at Purdue
Oct 11, 19586Wisconsin 31, 13Purdue 6at Wisconsin
Oct 12, 195716Wisconsin 23, Purdue 14at Purdue
Oct 20, 1956Wisconsin 6, 17Purdue 6at Wisconsin
Oct 8, 1955Wisconsin 9, Purdue 0at Purdue
Oct 16, 19542Wisconsin 20, 5Purdue 6at Wisconsin
Oct 17, 1953Wisconsin 28, Purdue 19at Purdue
Oct 20, 1951Wisconsin 31, Purdue 7at Purdue
Nov 4, 195020Wisconsin 33, Purdue 7at Wisconsin
Sep 27, 1947Wisconsin 32, Purdue 14at Wisconsin
Nov 2, 194618Wisconsin 24, Purdue 20at Purdue
Oct 6, 1945Purdue 13, Wisconsin 7at Wisconsin
Nov 4, 1944Purdue 35, Wisconsin 0at Purdue
Oct 30, 19434Purdue 32, Wisconsin 0at Wisconsin
Oct 24, 19427Wisconsin 13, Purdue 0at Purdue
Nov 15, 1941Wisconsin 13, Purdue 0at Wisconsin
Oct 26, 1940Wisconsin 14, Purdue 13at Purdue
Nov 18, 1939Wisconsin 7, Purdue 7at Wisconsin
Oct 22, 1938Purdue 13, Wisconsin 7at Purdue
Nov 13, 1937Wisconsin 7, Purdue 7at Wisconsin
Oct 10, 1936Purdue 35, Wisconsin 14at Purdue
Nov 9, 1935Wisconsin 8, Purdue 0at Wisconsin
Oct 20, 1934Purdue 14, Wisconsin 0at Purdue
Oct 28, 1933Purdue 14, Wisconsin 0at Wisconsin
Oct 15, 1932Purdue 7, Wisconsin 6at Purdue
Oct 17, 1931Wisconsin 21, Purdue 14at Wisconsin
Oct 25, 1930Purdue 7, Wisconsin 6at Purdue
Nov 2, 1929Purdue 13, Wisconsin 0at Wisconsin
Oct 20, 1928Purdue 19, Wisconsin 19at Purdue
Oct 22, 1927Wisconsin 12, Purdue 6at Wisconsin
Oct 16, 1926Purdue 0, Wisconsin 0at Purdue
Oct 24, 1925Wisconsin 7, Purdue 0at Wisconsin
Oct 16, 1915Wisconsin 28, Purdue 3at Purdue
Oct 17, 1914Wisconsin 14, Purdue 7at Wisconsin
Oct 18, 1913Purdue 7, Wisconsin 7at Purdue
Oct 19, 1912Wisconsin 41, Purdue 0at Wisconsin
Nov 16, 1907Wisconsin 12, Purdue 6at Purdue
Nov 17, 1906Wisconsin 29, Purdue 5at Wisconsin
Oct 15, 1894Purdue 6, Wisconsin 0at Wisconsin
Nov 18, 1893Wisconsin 36, Purdue 30at Wisconsin
Oct 19, 1892Purdue 32, Wisconsin 4at Purdue

Every game is listed as played on the field.