Purdue Opens as 27.5-Point Underdog at No. 3 Notre Dame

FanDuel lists Purdue (1-2) as heavy underdogs against unbeaten Notre Dame after a shaky defensive start to the season.

Purdue heads into its matchup with No. 3 Notre Dame as a 27.5-point underdog, according to FanDuel. The Boilermakers sit at 1-2 after a late collapse and overtime loss to Wake Forest followed by a rough defensive showing against UCLA.

Purdue gave up 52 points to UCLA in a game played at the Rose Bowl on September 19. The Bruins racked up 645 total yards, the second most Purdue has ever allowed, including 369 rushing yards, and connected on 21 plays of 14 or more yards.

Across two games against FBS opponents, Purdue is allowing 45 points per game and 207 rushing yards per contest, which ranks 125th nationally. Defensive coordinator Kevin Kane, in his second stint in the role, has come under scrutiny from fans after the unit's start.

Notre Dame, meanwhile, is 3-0 and won the most recent meeting between the teams 66-7 during the Ryan Walters era. FanDuel lists the odds of Notre Dame scoring 70 or more points in this game at +2700.

The game is viewed as a measuring stick for Purdue in year two under head coach Barry Odom, with the offense showing improvement even as the defense has struggled.