Purdue and Boston College Announce Football Series

Purdue's future football schedules got a major announcement today as Boston College announced a home and home with our Boilermakers:

Boston College and Purdue have signed an agreement for a two-game football series in 2018 and 2020, Athletics Director Brad Bates announced on Tuesday.

The Eagles will travel to Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind., on Sept. 22, 2018 and will host the Boilermakers at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill on Sept. 26, 2020.

Purdue and Boston College have never played in football (unless both meet in a bowl game before then) and both teams have struggled quite a bit of late. This makes the 2018 schedule complete:

2018
Sept. 1 - NORTHWESTERN
Sept. 8 - EASTERN MICHIGAN
Sept. 15 - MISSOURI
Sept. 22 - BOSTON COLLEGE
Sept. 29 - at Nebraska
Oct. 13 - at Illinois
Oct. 20 - OHIO STATE
Oct. 27 - at Michigan State
Nov. 3 - IOWA
Nov. 10 - at Minnesota
Nov. 17 - WISCONSIN
Nov. 24 - at Indiana

That is a schedule with some chest hair, as it includes the rare TWO home games out of conference against Power 5 teams. Here is the partial 2020 schedule now, as the Big Ten has announced schedules only through 2019:

2020
Sept. 19 - NOTRE DAME
Sept. 26 - at Boston College

Remember; as of 2016 the Big Ten now has a nine game conference schedule, leaving just three non-conference games per year. There are also no more FCS games after any current contracts are done (such as Purdue's 2016 game against Eastern Kentucky). Purdue has its non-conference schedule complete through 2017 (the long rumored Louisville game at Lucas Oil Stadium in 2017 was confirmed today as well).

Purdue currently has two non-conference slots open in 2019 (likely home games since Purdue is at Nevada for its only announced road game so far) and one in 2020. The farthest game out is a 2027 game at Wake Forest on Labor Day weekend. Purdue will play Notre Dame in 2020, 2021 and 2024-26. There is also the return game at Virginia Tech for 2023 after they came to Ross-Ade in 2015.

The 2018 season could be a season of Hope as well, as it will likely dawn without Darrell Hazell and, if Morgan Burke retires in 2017 as we all hope, we would be free of him as well. It could potentially be the debut of a newly renovated Ross-Ade Stadium as well, since the football performance facility will be done in 2017 and, just maybe, this could be a night game with new lights!