BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Football fans will head to Bloomington on Saturday for the 99th edition of the Old Oaken Bucket Game.
Indiana and Purdue fans’ excitement has been growing all week. Friends and families have been bickering at dinner tables, wondering if 10-1 Indiana will make a push for the College Football Playoff or if Purdue will play spoiler.
“It’s what makes the bucket game so much fun,” said longtime Indiana fan Johnny Jager.
IU fans are happy to be on their home turf, especially considering their team hasn’t lost a game in Bloomington all year.
”I’ve grown up going to these games, and this year, I’ve never seen the stadium like this, the tailgating like this, it’s just another 10 levels,” said Jager.
“The atmosphere is incredible,” Hoosier fan Brandon Hunt added. “Every game is awesome. Just, you know, seeing coach Cig and what Scott Dolson has done is just awesome.”
Purdue has won the Old Oaken Bucket in each of the last three seasons, but recent history hasn’t increased Boilermaker fans’ confidence.
”I love Purdue for a lot of reasons, but this year is just, I’m just going to keep it light, this is not our year,” said Purdue graduate and fan, Zach Melloh. “… My head, in common sense, says IU is going to steamroll Purdue. My heart, and if you’re gonna ask me a prediction, I’m gonna say Purdue by a field goal.”
As is tradition, Saturday’s game will serve as a regular season finale for both teams. For Purdue, which has 1-10 overall and 0-8 conference records this season, the game will be its last of the year.
If Indiana wins Saturday’s contest, it would be in good position to earn a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff. The Hoosiers were 10th in this week’s rankings.
“It’d be tough to leave an 11-1 team from the Big Ten out of the college football playoffs,” said Hunt.
“There’s a lot of meaning behind it,” added Melloh. “You win, and you’re more than likely in the playoffs, which would be huge for IU as a school and for just IU football fans in general.”
This year’s Old Oaken Bucket Game will kick off at 7 p.m. at Memorial Stadium. It will also air live on FS1.
