Purdue AD Tommy McClelland had one of the stranger introductory press conference comments on Thursday. McClelland claimed that, "We are here to win championships. If you don't want to win championships, go to Indiana."
Obviously, the Indiana Hoosiers just won the CFP national championship, so this comment was, at best, poorly timed. On3's Andy Staples doesn't believe that Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti would even appreciate it, despite similar comments on the Ohio State Buckeyes and TTUN back when he was first hired in December 2023.
"Seemed nuts when Cignetti trash-talked Michigan and Ohio State in December 2023," Staples said. "But somehow I doubt Cigs will respect the hustle come Old Oaken Bucket time."
Cignetti famously said at his own introductory press conference that "I've never taken a back seat to anybody and don't plan on starting now... Purdue sucks, but so does Michigan and Ohio State!"
He at least proved it right.
Crazy Curt actually made good on his claim about OSU and Michigan
Cignetti had some nerve saying that at the time, but dammit if he didn't prove himself over the past two years. While he took a loss to the Buckeyes in 2024, he avenged it in the Big Ten Championship game this past December. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers defeated the Wolverines during the 2024 season.
The world didn't know that Cignetti had the means to back up his bold press conference claims. Clearly, he knew what he brought over to Indiana from the James Madison Dukes and elsewhere via the portal was enough.
Does McClelland understand the state of the Boilermakers on the football field? Does he realize the Hoosiers' hoops program could be a sleeping giant that may awaken at any moment as Purdue continues falling short of winning its first NCAA Tournament year after year?
Ohio State can help prove Tommy McClelland's claim correct
At least on the football field, OSU could make McClelland's words true about IU. The two teams meet this October 17 in Bloomington. Ryan Day could do his part to keep the Hoosiers away from a repeat CFP bid by handing Indiana a humbling loss on its home field.
It's not known when the two teams will face off again after that, but the Hoosiers owe college football more marquee games after backing down from a series against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in 2030 and 2031. The Big Ten needs to force this rivalry on the schedule as often as possible. As long as it's even a rivalry anyway.
We don't know if Indiana has the staying power to keep it relevant in the coming years. We do know that the Buckeyes will never run out of resources before practically any other school besides the University of Texas. One side of this rivalry will always hold up its side of the bargain. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers still have to prove that they're more than a two-year wonder. Then, if they do, they have to prove they're more than a three-year wonder. So on and so forth.
It's taken decades for Ohio State to be the big, bad team you use as a target to dunk on to make yourself look better. McClelland's words could be true with some help from the Buckeyes in the coming years. On the gridiron, at least.
Maybe what McClelland said wasn't so silly after all.
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