Purdue Football: Boilers, Wildcats Scheduled For Rare Opener
WEST LAFAYETTE – The Big Ten Conference announced that Purdue’s 2018 season opener against Northwestern at Ross-Ade Stadium has been moved to Thursday, Aug. 30, with the game time to be announced later. The game originally was scheduled to take place Saturday, Sept. 1.
The switch in days will mark the first time the Boilermakers will open their season on Thursday since Sept. 26, 1895 – a 6-0 forfeit victory over Iowa State. Purdue has played on Thursday 15 times in school history, but merely once in the last century – the 2004 Capital One Bowl vs. Georgia that took place on New Year’s Day.
The contest is Purdue’s first conference game to start a year since opening the 1996 season at Michigan State.
Thursday Games in Purdue History
Jan. 1, 2004 (Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Fla.) – vs. Georgia, L, 27-34 (OT)
Nov. 24, 1904 – vs. Notre Dame, W, 36-0
Oct. 1, 1903 – at Wabash, W, 18-0
Nov. 27, 1902 – vs. Notre Dame, T, 6-6
Nov. 28, 1901 – vs. Northwestern, L, 5-10
Nov. 29, 1900 – vs. Indiana, L, 5-24
Nov. 30, 1899 – vs. Indiana, L, 5-17
Nov. 24, 1898 – vs. Oberlin, L, 0-10
Nov. 25, 1897 – vs. Alumni, T, 0-0
Sept. 26, 1895 – vs. Iowa State, W, 6-0 (Forfeit)
Nov. 29, 1894 (in Indianapolis) – vs. DePauw, W, 28-0
Nov. 24, 1893 (in Indianapolis) – vs. DePauw, W, 42-18
Nov. 24, 1892 – at DePauw, W, 32-6
Nov. 26, 1891 – at Butler, W, 58-0
Nov. 27, 1890 – at Butler, L, 10-12