INDIANAPOLIS — Purdue football will try to surprise the rest of the Big Ten this fall.
Optimism is high in West Lafayette for coach Ryan Walters’ second season after several promising transfer portal additions. Across the rest of the league, however, expectations are not as high. The Boilermakers were ranked 18th out of 18 teams in the preseason USA TODAY Network Big Ten football media poll.
Ohio State received eight of 13 first-place votes as the preseason No. 1 team. No. 2 Oregon received the other five first-place votes. Defending national champion Michigan and Penn State tied for third.
More: 2024 Preseason All-Big Ten football team, top player, coach
Purdue finished behind Illinois, Indiana and Northwestern at the bottom of the poll.
Only one Boilermaker made the 22-man preseason All-Big Ten team. Sophomore safety Dillon Thieneman claimed one of the four defensive back spots coming off a six-interception debut season.
Why so low on the Boilermakers?
Purdue finished 4-8 last season, including 3-6 in Big Ten games. The schedule looks even tougher this season, with some ranking it among the most challenging in the country. Aside from nonconference games against Notre Dame and at Oregon State, the Boilermakers play three of the top four teams in this preseason poll: Oregon and Penn State at home and Ohio State on the road.
Second team All-Big Ten edge rusher Nic Scourton transferred to Texas A&M. Leading receiver Deion Burks transferred to Oklahoma. While Purdue added several intriguing players through the portal — such as former Georgia cornerback Nyland Green and former Bulldog receivers De’Nylon Morrissette and CJ Smith — none carried the offseason clout of adding a high profile quarterback or proven pass rusher.
How IndyStar’s Purdue Insider voted
I filled out my preseason rankings as I do every year — by picking winners and losers for every league game and simply adding up the records. When teams tied, I weighed perceived strength of schedule as to which team went higher on the list.
While I am more optimistic on Purdue’s chances than the consensus, I also recognize this schedule is tough enough that the record may not improve even if the team does.
My ballot:
1. Ohio State
2. Oregon
3. Penn State
4. Iowa
5. Michigan
6. USC
7. Wisconsin
8. Nebraska
9. Washington
10. Maryland
11. Illinois
12. Rutgers
13. Purdue
14. UCLA
15. Minnesota
16. Michigan State
17. Northwestern
18. Indiana
In addition to voting for Thieneman, I also voted for Kydran Jenkins at linebacker and named him my pick for Purdue’s “potential breakout star.” The transition from edge rusher to Mike linebacker comes with challenges, and maybe Jenkins benefitted from playing across from Scourton. But he may also be one of the conference’s more underrated talents right now.
My preseason All-Big Ten ballot:
QB: Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
RB: TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
RB: Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State
WR: Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
WR: Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
TE: Colston Loveland, Michigan
OT: Jonah Monheim, USC
OT: Ajani Cornelius, Oregon
OG: Donovan Jackson, Ohio State
OG: Matthew Bedford, Oregon
C: Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State
DL: Jack Sawyer, Ohio State
DL: Tyleik Williams, Ohio State
DL: Mason Graham, Michigan
DL: Abdul Carter, Penn State
LB: Jay Higgins, Iowa
LB: Nick Jackson, Iowa
LB: Kydran Jenkins, Purdue
DB: Caleb Downs, Ohio State
DB: Denzel Burke, Ohio State
DB: Will Johnson, Michigan
DB: Dillon Thieneman, Purdue
P: Ryan Eckley, Michigan State
K: Dragan Kesich, Minnesota
All purpose: Braeden Wisloski, Maryland
Awards:
Coach of the year: Ryan Day, Ohio State
Player of the year: Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
Newcomer of the year: Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Where Purdue football ranks in preseason Big Ten media poll
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