It was a tough Thanksgiving week 2024 for Hoosier sports. The Battle 4 Atlantis was a disaster for both the men’s and women’s basketball programs. The women only scored 39-points against the Tarheels after beating Columbia and #18 Baylor. The men only managed to get to 61 in a bad loss to Louisville after a couple of last-minute steals and then gave up 57 in just the first half against Gonzaga. The magic was working against us in the Bahamas and there were few positives to write about. In addition, soccer fell short in the Sweet 16 to Denver 1-0. Were these to be ominous signs for the upcoming Bucket Game?

The doubt started in Columbus where I.U. jumped out to a 7-0 lead. Suddenly, the vulnerability began to show with dropped passes, uncharacteristic penalties, and a disastrous fumble in punt formation. To make matters worse, blown coverage allowed a game-clinching touchdown, adding to the many miscues of the day. Suddenly, the undefeated Hoosiers were no longer and hopes of a coveted playoff berth were in doubt. Would the 1-10 “Spoilermakers” somehow find a way to upset the heavily favored and 10th-ranked Hoosiers on a snowy day in Bloomington?

Purdue had won the last three of these rival games, with IU’s last victory in 2019. Covid won the 2020 battle! The largest margin of victory was 68-0 by the Boilermakers back in 1892, the second year of gridiron competition between the two schools. In fact, Purdue won the first six games, one by forfeit, following losses of 60-0, 68-0, and 64-0. It’s a wonder that the Hoosiers agreed to resume play after a two-year hiatus in 1895 and 1896. A 1903 Halloween contest was cancelled when 17 people were killed in a train crash while traveling to the game. Games were also missed in 1906, 1907, 1918, and 1919, but otherwise it’s been an annual affair encompassing 126 games with Purdue leading with links on the bucket 77-43-6. 

The “Magic of 60” on the football field never happened again until 2004 in West Lafayette when Purdue dominated 63-24 and repeated the beating in 2008 with a 62-10 thrashing. The most I.U. had ever scored was 56 in 2013 until the 66-0 gem to end the 2024 regular season with an unprecedented 11-1 record under first year coach, Curt Cignetti. I.U. is now officially a football school!