As the PU (and salty IU) posters argue ad nauseum, this year's OOC ended up being soft. But looking at 2019-2025, I'm not seeing a big difference in how IU schedules compared to others. Purdue seems to currently follow the 2 G5 + 1 low P5 formula. They even *gasp* do the FCS + low P5 + G5 thing in 2022. By 2025, PU even plays UCONN & Ball St. (double *gasp*), although they pick up a marquee game in Notre Dame as opposed to an FCS squad.
Even the best of the B10 (OSU) generally follows the 1 marquee + 2 G5 scheduling format for every year until 2025 when they play Texas & Washington. With open dates, 2024 for them could show a similar schedule.
I would expect that if IU can string together another 8-9 win season and maybe knocks off one or two of the big boys in the B10, then we're likely to see that 2025 open date end up being a marquee game. And it shouldn't be lost on people that it's very hard to predict how good/bad a team will be 5-6 years out, particularly for G5 teams that have a nasty habit of turning in special seasons every once in a while.
Overall though, seeing the number of common opponents below, I'm just not sold on knocking down IU for a cream puff schedule when they're in the same ballpark as others.
2019:
IU: Ball State, Eastern Illinois, UCONN
PU: Nevada, Vandy, TCU
OSU: FAU, Cinci, Miami (OH)
2020:
IU: WKU, Ball State, UCONN
PU: Memphis, Air Force, Boston College
OSU: Bowling Green, Oregon, Buffalo
2021:
IU: Idaho, Cinci, WKU
PU: Oregon St., UCONN, Notre Dame
OSU: Oregon, Tulsa, Akron
2022:
IU: Idaho, WKU, Cinci
PU: Indiana St., Syracuse, FAU
OSU: Notre Dame, Arkansas St., Toledo
2023:
IU: Indiana St., Louisville, Akron
PU: Fresno St., VT, Syracuse
OSU: San Jose St., WKU, Notre Dame
2024:
IU: FIU, Louisville, Charlotte
PU: Indiana St., Notre Dame, Oregon St.
OSU: Washington, (other 2 non-cons TBD)
2025:
IU: Louisville, Indiana St., (other non-con TBD)
PU: Ball State, UCONN, Notre Dame
OSU: Texas, Washington, (other non-con TBD)
Even the best of the B10 (OSU) generally follows the 1 marquee + 2 G5 scheduling format for every year until 2025 when they play Texas & Washington. With open dates, 2024 for them could show a similar schedule.
I would expect that if IU can string together another 8-9 win season and maybe knocks off one or two of the big boys in the B10, then we're likely to see that 2025 open date end up being a marquee game. And it shouldn't be lost on people that it's very hard to predict how good/bad a team will be 5-6 years out, particularly for G5 teams that have a nasty habit of turning in special seasons every once in a while.
Overall though, seeing the number of common opponents below, I'm just not sold on knocking down IU for a cream puff schedule when they're in the same ballpark as others.
2019:
IU: Ball State, Eastern Illinois, UCONN
PU: Nevada, Vandy, TCU
OSU: FAU, Cinci, Miami (OH)
2020:
IU: WKU, Ball State, UCONN
PU: Memphis, Air Force, Boston College
OSU: Bowling Green, Oregon, Buffalo
2021:
IU: Idaho, Cinci, WKU
PU: Oregon St., UCONN, Notre Dame
OSU: Oregon, Tulsa, Akron
2022:
IU: Idaho, WKU, Cinci
PU: Indiana St., Syracuse, FAU
OSU: Notre Dame, Arkansas St., Toledo
2023:
IU: Indiana St., Louisville, Akron
PU: Fresno St., VT, Syracuse
OSU: San Jose St., WKU, Notre Dame
2024:
IU: FIU, Louisville, Charlotte
PU: Indiana St., Notre Dame, Oregon St.
OSU: Washington, (other 2 non-cons TBD)
2025:
IU: Louisville, Indiana St., (other non-con TBD)
PU: Ball State, UCONN, Notre Dame
OSU: Texas, Washington, (other non-con TBD)