4DAYS
Up Next · Week 4
UCLA
Terps
MON, SEP 21, 2026
Analytics
SHELL
Nov 7 at Ross-Ade, their second game off the bye-then-Penn State stretch. Pressure travels: Browne threw 10 picks in 2025 and now plays behind a near-all-portal line with a new center — win the protection battle and the takeaways come. Their kicker has zero career FG attempts, so field position and red-zone stops convert directly to scoreboard margin.
As many as seven transfers could start; only Browne and Tanona return as full-time starters. The line is nearly all-portal after losing the starting center (Joiner) and two other OL, and the receiver room was gutted by Tuggle's exit. Everything keys on Browne cutting the 10 INTs behind a unit that has never played together. Camp cost them TE Kylan Fox (UCF transfer) to a likely season-ending knee injury, and OL Marc Nave Jr. left the program just before camp opened.
Roughly 50/50 returning snaps vs. portal. The line is the most experienced unit (Smith, Modozie, Madden drew spring praise for physicality) and the secondary is deeper and more competitive than 2025, with Saunders pushing for a corner job. The track record is the concern: Kane's last two Purdue defenses finished last in the B1G in scoring. True freshman DB Raderrion Daniels also went down with a likely season-ending knee injury in camp.
Odom survived 2-10/0-9 with full backing but churned four staff spots. He says this portal cycle was deliberate rather than panicked and that he'll be hands-on with the defense — year 2 is the proof-of-concept season.
21 out, 32 in — 53 total newcomers counting the HS class, a second straight teardown but smaller and earlier than 2025's. Lost real starters (C, WR2, 12-start DL, the kicker) and replaced them with volume; talent floor is up, continuity is still near zero. Since June: DT Curt Neal arrived from Illinois; OL Marc Nave Jr. departed on the eve of camp.
Whole operation is new: Porath bolted to Notre Dame in mid-January (surprised Odom), leaving a FG battle between UConn transfer S. Turner and freshman Echeverria Lozano — neither has attempted a college field goal. All-B1G punter McCallister left for the pros; Buffalo transfer Drennan (2nd-team All-MAC, 44.75 avg) is the likely replacement. No verified 2026 return-game info.
As of Aug 17: Picked last — 18th of 18 in the media poll with 45 points — with a 3.5 win total off the 2-10 first year under Odom. Their own beat coverage calls the Nov 7 game (their homecoming) likely the easiest Big Ten game on their slate, referring to us. No line is posted; kick and TV unset.