Purdue Football Adds Western Illinois to 2028 Schedule

Purdue continues to lock in future football schedules and it appears that the allowance of an FCS team in even-numbered years (when the Boilers are scheduled to have just four Big Ten home games) will continue in order to get at least six home games in those seasons. Purdue had already added Indiana State for paycheck games in 2022, 2024, and 2026 for such a purpose, and they recently added FCS Western Illinois to the schedule for 2028:

The Purdue Boilermakers have added the Western Illinois Leathernecks to their 2028 football schedule, FBSchedules.com has learned.

A copy of the game contract was obtained from Purdue University via a state public records request.

Purdue will host Western Illinois at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind., on September 2, 2028. The Boilermakers will pay the Leathernecks a $450,000 guarantee for the game, according to the copy of the contract.

Purdue and Western Illinois played once before, and it was a costly game Purdue won 31-21, but Keith Smith was lost for the season with a knee injury and was later denied a sixth year by the NCAA.

This move completes the 2028 non-conference slate, as Purdue is set to host Notre Dame while also traveling to Wake Forest. As of now there is only one open date over the next decade, and that is a non-conference game in 2027 when Purdue is set to visit Notre Dame and host Miami (OH).