Although the program is entering a new era under first-year head coach Ryan Walters, Purdue will have a familiar look when it takes the field this fall after promoting its throwback uniforms to full-time status.
The Boilermakers, who have worn primary uniforms that feature a cowcatcher design on the shoulders for the last seven seasons, initially wore the throwback uniforms in 2020 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their last Big Ten title.
Led by quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Drew Brees, Purdue finished the regular season with an 8-3 record and earned a trip to the Rose Bowl with victories over conference co-champions Michigan and Northwestern.
The uniforms are almost exact replicas of what the Boilermakers wore that season, when they were outfitted by Champion instead of Nike. The only differences are the current train logo on the collar and the Motion “P” on the right hip, which is new this year.
Purdue wore the throwback design twice, including a 27-20 loss to Northwestern in 2020 and a 13-9 win over Illinois in 2021. The Boilermakers also wore the road version in a win over Minnesota in 2010 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their last Rose Bowl appearance.
Sources have indicated that uniform, which notably included a rose intertwined with the Motion “P” on the helmet and a Rose Bowl patch on the right shoulders, will also return this season – albeit without those additional details – as Purdue’s full-time road look.
As for the helmet, this marks the first time since the Boilermakers honored late coach Joe Tiller in 2017 that it features the classic stripes down the center. The only difference from the original design, worn from 1996-2010, is the finish and the extra black stroke around the Motion “P.”
With Purdue joining Florida State and Oklahoma State in unveiling (or adopting) new uniforms this offseason, there are no longer any Power Five programs wearing Nike’s Mach Speed template. Those three schools were the final holdouts on the template introduced in 2013.
Unlike the Seminoles and Cowboys, who are now on Nike’s new Vapor F.U.S.E. template, the Boilermakers will be on the Vapor Untouchable template. Sources have indicated these uniforms will serve as a one-year stopgap, with a new set expected in 2024.
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