Purdue Replaces Notre Dame With West Virginia for 2027

Purdue University will not play Notre Dame in the 2027 college football season. The Boilermakers announced Tuesday that they are pausing the rivalry series and scheduling West Virginia in its place on the 2027 slate.

Tommy McClelland, Purdue's vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics, explained the move through the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 24 teams. The new format requires schools to play 10 regular-season games against power conference opponents. McClelland stated that adding West Virginia aligns with the goals of Coach Odom's program.

The Boilermakers have a long history with the Mountaineers. Purdue lost their last matchup on Sept. 21, 1996, by a score of 20-6. Prior to that, the Boilermakers won the first contest between the two schools 26-24 on Sept. 2, 1995.

McClelland noted that the Notre Dame series is not ending permanently. He said the rivalry, played 90 times in program history, will be reevaluated for potential inclusion in future schedules. Purdue has two other non-conference games set for 2027: UAlbany on Aug. 28 and Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 11.

Notre Dame responded shortly after the announcement. The Irish added a home-and-home series with Illinois, a Big Ten school they have not faced since 1968. Illinois will visit Notre Dame on Sept. 4, 2027. Notre Dame will travel to Champaign for the return game on Sept. 2, 2028. The Irish hold an 11-0-1 all-time record against the Illini.