Purdue Faces Notre Dame in Anticipated College Football Clash

On Saturday at 3:30 p.m., the Purdue Boilermakers (1-0) will compete against No. 18 Notre Dame (1-1) for the Shillelagh Trophy. Predictions for the game’s outcome vary widely; however, College Football 25 has determined a winner after multiple simulations, with Purdue emerging victorious.

All simulations were executed at Heisman difficulty level and timed to coincide with the anticipated real-life kickoff. Notre Dame, carrying a 90-overall rating, with an 85-overall offense and a 90-overall defense, is a favored team against the 82-overall Boilermakers. However, in the fifth simulation, Purdue lifted the Shillelagh Trophy with a 31-14 victory over Notre Dame.

In this simulated game, Hudson Card, the quarterback, left injured in the third quarter. Yet, 73-overall backup quarterback Marcos Davila came in to turn the game around. Davila completed all nine of his passing attempts, amassing 98 yards and scoring two touchdowns to lead Purdue to victory. Card’s injury was not deemed significant, and he continued to dominate the remainder of the virtual season, being named “player of the game” in nine of Purdue’s ten subsequent matches.

Purdue’s next simulated matchup is against Oregon State, where they secured a 33-23 win, driven by a powerful 23-point second quarter. The team also faced No. 24 Nebraska at Ross-Ade, triumphing 30-24, showcasing the importance of their home-field advantage. The Boilermakers then challenged the 87-overall Wisconsin Badgers in Madison, emerging victorious in a 21-13 win, largely thanks to the outstanding performance of Hudson Card, who passed for 219 yards and two touchdowns. Card is key to the Boilermakers’ air raid offense, proving instrumental in the team’s opening game of the real-life season.

Despite the challenges, Purdue consistently delivered impressive gameplay, notably defeating the 93-overall Oregon Ducks 35-32 after fourteen simulations. The team’s remarkable efforts continued with an unexpected win against No. 3 and 93-overall Ohio State, secured with a narrow 24-21 victory on the 18th simulation, and by defeating the formidable No. 8 Penn State. Purdue closed the season with convincing wins over Michigan State and Indiana University, showcasing their strength in the Big Ten conference through virtual play.

Initially projected to finish the season 3-9, the Boilermakers defied expectations by achieving a record of 5-7, including several notable upsets against highly ranked opponents like No. 8 Penn State.