As you may remember, a couple weeks ago my astute colleague BoilerUp89 wrote a wonderful article displaying the many accomplishments the Indiana Hoosiers have made in Basketball and Football over the past few decades. It was quite a treat. Strolling down memory lane and playing the hits that every Purdue fan must have loved reading.
As an Indiana fan, it didn’t really bother me to be honest. I thought it was, as most of his articles are, well written. Perhaps the best way to put it was, it was cute.
It really got me thinking, what have the Purdue Boilermakers really done for me lately? How’s the Black and Gold faring as an athletic department? Well I pulled some quick facts and thought you would enjoy them.
1 – Indiana Men’s Soccer has more National Championships than Purdue Team Athletics has as a whole
Perhaps a clunky way to say it, but Purdue “claims” 5 sporting national championships. Men’s Basketball in 1932 (whoa, talk about dusty banners), Men’s Golf in 1961, Women’s Basketball in 1999, Women’s Golf in 2010, and Cheerleading in 2018. I guess that’s 5 championships. I mean Men’s Basketball really didn’t play a tournament, but we’ll give it to them. Let’s look over at Indiana men’s soccer and WOULDN’T YOU LOOK AT THAT? 8 CHAMPIONSHIPS? WOW. AMAZING.
2 – Purdue has 31 Individual National Championships
That’s quite a feat. Purdue has 31 Individual National Championships dating all the way back to 1930 when they won their first for Orval Matin and an 800 Yard Run (it says “run” on the Purdue website, not dash). I don’t want to knock those individual winners. Winning a national championship is hard, whether it’s an individual or a team sport. I would never bring up that Indiana boasts 163 individual championships. Never would I ever.
Nor would I point out here that Indiana Women’s Tennis won a Women’s Tennis championship in 1982 and its cheerleading team boasts 6 championships as well, bringing that total to 31 team championships. I wouldn’t do that.
3 – Purdue Basketball Has Gotten Over the Hump
I will tip my cap to you Boilers. You did in fact get to a national championship game in a major sport! The Boilers basketball team earned the right to get thoroughly romped play for a national championship this season. Yay for them! It comes off a string of great heartbreak and tragedy in the post season. I guess it still is a little heartbreaking though. Purdue is now the only program to lose as a 1 seed in the 1st round and NOT win the national championship the following year. How sad.
I mean there’s also the heartbreaks Purdue basketball has had against major opponents in the tournament. It seems each year Purdue just runs into a buzz saw of a team they simply just can’t matchup with. Whether it’s the mighty Saint Peter’s who then proceeded to get beat by 20 to 8 seeded UNC in 2022, it’s the mighty North Texas “I’m not even going to google their mascot” in 2021, or the Mighty Little Rock “Also not looking it ups” in 2016. Purdue just seems to always play these juggernaut teams. It’s INSANE really. Also let’s not forget the heartbreak to Virginia in 2019 AND that time Isaac Haas got hurt. And Robbie Hummel’s injury.
But it looks like you guys have finally gotten over the hump! Congrats on your almost banner!
4 – Purdue Football is Fine
I mean since we’re on the topic, Purdue football is certainly one of the best programs in the B1G, right? I mean, they’re still coasting off the legacy of Joe Tiller. In fact, if you squint really hard, you can totally see that Jeff Brohm really bailed on Purdue just to go home and not because Purdue football is unable to compete in the NIL space AND the divisions were set to end sooner than later. Well would you look at that. Weird fact, since 2013, Indiana and Purdue have been to the same number of bowl games. Sure Indiana lost theirs in heartbreaking fashion each time, but Purdue has won 2 of their bowls and certainly didn’t play a bowl game where there was a running clock in the second half. That totally didn’t happen. Anyway I’m sure that second year coach Ryan Walters is totally prepared for the new football scheduling. You guys should do great!
5 - Purdue has won 7 Governor’s Cups
For the uninitiated, the Governors cup (also known as the Crimson and Gold Cup) was created in 2001 for the rivalry between the Hoosiers and the Boilermakers. Think of it as an “All Sports Cup.” Every game played between the two schools in every sport means there’s points to be won for the cup. Well wouldn’t you know it, Purdue has managed to claim 7 Governor’s Cup Championships. That’s quite something. And if you throw in the 2 years where the universities tied for the cup, that’s almost as many as the 12 that Indiana has won.
Well this has been fun. I really think Purdue is in a good spot here. With their handful of runner up trophies and championships, the future of Purdue athletics, unlike the weather in northern Indiana, is very bright.
