No. 18 Notre Dame tries to rebound when it renews in-state rivalry at Purdue

(AP) — Marcus Freeman lost his first two games as Notre Dame’s coach in 2022. He hasn’t suffered back-to-back losses since then, and he’s hoping to keep that streak intact Saturday when the 18th-ranked Fighting Irish visit Purdue.

These in-state rivals have squared off 87 times since the first game in 1896. Notre Dame has won the last eight and leads the series 26-59-2.

Notre Dame already has one inexplicable loss. Another would likely eliminate the Fighting Irish from playoff contention because of a softer-than-usual schedule. That means this week, like every remaining game this season, becomes a must-win for the Irish. 

Purdue is coming off a bye week after a season-opening rout of Indiana State. Second-year coach Ryan Walters is trying to become the seventh Boilermakers coach in history to win his first matchup against the Irish. A win Saturday would give the Boilermakers a huge boost with just the second 2-0 start since 2007.