Purdue football bristles at last-place Big Ten predictions: 'A large chip on the shoulder'

INDIANAPOLIS — Purdue football had something to prove this fall long before anyone cast a vote in preseason media polls.

However, a consensus last-place Big Ten ranking from most major lists — including the USA TODAY Network preseason poll — could not be ignored.

Purdue coach Ryan Walters took the question for the first of many times before the conference’s media days officially began Tuesday at Lucas Oil Stadium. He clenched his jaw and confronted the issue.

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“You can't really pay attention to it or harp on it too much,” Walters said. “But I’d be naive to sort of turn a blind eye and not talk about the elephant in the room.

“So we've definitely addressed it.”

Quarterback Hudson Card said he and his teammates arrived in Indianapolis already aware of those dismissive expectations.

“It’s been brought up a couple of times in our building," Card said.

He received some form of the question at least three times during his 30-minute breakout interview session. Each time, he explained how the rankings added “fuel to the fire” for a team already motivated to move forward from last season’s 4-8 finish.

He also, obviously, disagrees with those rankings.

“I really do feel really good about where we are right now,” Card said. “We’ve got some key guys back and we got some key guys through the portal that are really going to help us out. This is one of the tighter locker rooms I've been a part of, and that goes a long way — especially when you’re on the game field on Saturday.”

While Walters acknowledged the elephant in the room, he also did not want to feed it. Pay too much attention, talk about it too much, and you risk giving those doubts power — and even worse, living down to them.

Only two years ago, Purdue came to Lucas Oil Stadium to play Michigan in the Big Ten Championship Game. Tumbling to 18th place, even on paper, does not sit well. Walters said that resolve has spread throughout the program.

“I did mention a large chip on the shoulder of everyone in that building, and 18 ^th out of 18 is a big reason why,” Walters said.

Purdue has not finished with the worst record in the Big Ten since 2015. It starts this season with a rock-bottom reminder of how much it does not want to end up there four months from now.

Follow IndyStar Purdue Insider Nathan Baird on X at @nwbaird .

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Purdue football bristles at last-place Big Ten predictions: 'A large chip on the shoulder'