Ryan Walters Calls Purdue’s 45-0 Loss to Ohio State “Disappointing,” Wants to See Boilermakers Compete “At the Highest Stage” With Buckeyes

Ryan Walters didn't have much to discuss after his team's 45-0 loss to Ohio State. Still, the second-year Purdue head coach used his seven-minute press conference to remind reporters and Boilermaker fans that he's hopeful he can lead the program into a better future in West Lafayette, Indiana.

On the drive after Ohio State took a 7-0 lead, Purdue marched 70+ yards into the red zone and looked poised to even the score. However, as it had done in three consecutive games, Ohio State's defense stuffed its opponent at the goal line, keeping the Boilermakers out of the end zone on first, second and third down. Rather than attempt to score a touchdown on 4th-and-Goal from the 3-yard line, Walters sent his kicker Spencer Porath on the field, who would miss the 21-yard field goal. Walters explained that decision to open his press conference.

“We wanted to get points on the board and come away with some momentum. We thought it would be an easy chip shot to guarantee some points. Obviously, in hindsight, you would have loved to get points there.”

Porath's missed field goal was one of several errors Purdue made on Saturday. The Boilermakers allowed a blocked punt, turned the ball over twice — one interception and one fumble turned scoop-and-score touchdown — and missed another field goal from 38 yards. Walters said those mistakes can't happen when matched up with the second-best team in college football.

“When you play against the No. 2 team in the country, and you don’t come away with points in the red area, you allow a blocked punt while you’re backed up, you have a fumble returned for a touchdown, and you go 2-of-12 on third downs, you’re not gonna give yourself a chance to win at the end of the game. It’s disappointing.”

Purdue opened its season with a 49-0 win over FCS Indiana State. Since then. however, the Boilermakers have lost to Notre Dame, Oregon State, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Illinois, Oregon, Northwestern and Ohio State. Their losses to the Irish, Ducks and Buckeyes came by a combined 146-7 margin.

Despite Purdue's lack of success this year, Walters said the program has built a foundation with younger players that he believes can help the Boilermakers compete "at the highest stage" in the future.

“I’m not in it to find silver linings and moral victories. I didn’t come here for that. I came here to win games. I came here to compete at the highest stage. We’ll buy into how to do that. We’ve set a foundation here, especially with some of the younger guys and then some of the guys that have been here and won games like this. I think the culture in the locker room is still high. We just got to find a way to win on gamedays.”