Purdue's 17 wins against top-5 teams as an unranked opponent

[rgarlitz]

I believe I have assembled the whole list. I also found nine other games where an unranked Purdue team beat a top-10 opponent. I consulted a bunch of websites and online databases, but honestly, the best source was the Wikipedia annual Purdue team pages.

1947 Purdue 14 #5 Illinois 7 (Home) --- Holcomb
1950 Purdue 28 #1 Notre Dame 14 (Road) --- Holcomb
1953 Purdue 6 #2 MSU 0 (Home) --- Holcomb
1957 Purdue 20 #1 MSU 13 (Road) --- Mollenkopf
1958 Purdue 14 #5 MSU 6 (Home) --- Mollenkopf
1960 Purdue 23 #1 Minnesota 14 (Road) --- Mollenkopf
1960 Purdue 24 #3 OSU 21 (Home) --- Mollenkopf
1961 Purdue 9 #5 Iowa 0 (Home) --- Mollenkopf
1964 Purdue 21 #5 Michigan 20 (Road) --- Mollenkopf
1970 Purdue 26 #3 Stanford 14 (Road) --- DeMoss
1974 Purdue 31 #2 Notre Dame 20 (Road) --- Agase
1976 Purdue 16 #1 Michigan 14 (Home) --- Agase
1984 Purdue 28 #2 OSU 23 (Home) --- Burtnett
1998 Purdue 37 #4 Kansas State 34 (Alamo Bowl) --- Tiller
2018 Purdue 49 #3/#2 OSU 20 (Home) --- Brohm
2021 Purdue 24 #2 Iowa 7 (Road) --- Brohm
2021 Purdue 40 #5 MSU 29 (Home) --- Brohm

Other notable unranked Purdue upsets over top-10 teams:
1949 Purdue 13 #7 Minnesota 7 (Road) --- Holcomb
1959 Purdue 28 #8 ND 7 (Home) --- Mollenkopf
1961 Purdue 7 #6 MSU 6 (Home) --- Mollenkopf
1966 Purdue 22 #9 Michigan 21 (Road) --- Mollenkopf
1967 Purdue 14 #7/#6 USC 13 (Rose Bowl) --- Mollenkopf
1984 Purdue 23 #8 Notre Dame 21 (Hoosier Dome grand opening) --- Burtnett
1996 Purdue 9 #9 Michigan 3 (Home) --- Colletto
2000 Purdue 32 #6 Michigan 31 (Home) --- Tiller
2009 Purdue 26 #7 OSU 18 (Home) --- Hope

Unranked Purdue also beat #11 Iowa in Iowa City on Oct. 21, 1944
Unranked Purdue beat #12 Notre Dame 51-19 in South Bend in 1960
Unranked Purdue beat #12 Notre Dame 28-17 at home in 1997 for Joe Tiller's first win.

There are a bunch of unranked Purdue wins over teams ranked #13-#25.

 

[njm8845]

I’m surprised Purdue wasn’t ranked in the 98 Alamo bowl

 

[NVboiler]

After I had graduated, I had the pleasure of attending one of those games, a real beat down of #3 Stanford by Purdue in 1970 on the road. Then in the second tier of games, a squeeker against #7/#6 USC at the Rose Bowl in 1967. The 2 point connversion was batted down right in front of me. Two great games in California.

 

[rgarlitz]

I’m surprised Purdue wasn’t ranked in the 98 Alamo bowl

Purdue had an up-and-down start that year--Drew Brees's first as a starter. They were just 3-4 in mid-October after back-to-back road losses at Wisconsin (#10) and PSU (#12). But, Purdue finished the regular season on a 5-game winning streak and did crack the top-25 after knocking off K-State in a very memorable Alamo Bowl.

 

[Pu71indy]

Then 2021 PU 27 OSU (#5 CFP) 24!

 

[FirstDownB]

I wonder how many wins Purdue has all-time (ranked or unranked) against top 5 teams and where that ranks.