Purdue Seeks Victory Over Illinois to Break Taylor Swift ‘Curse’ After 10 Losses
Optimistic Purdue Looks to Break ‘Taylor Swift Curse’ Against Illinois
Purdue’s Season Under Coach Barry Odom
Purdue is showing promising signs in its current football season under new leadership. With a 2-2 record, the team has already made significant progress after a challenging 1-11 season last year. Under coach Barry Odom, the Boilermakers are eager to continue their upward trajectory. However, they face a formidable challenge this Saturday against a highly-ranked Illinois team.
Tackling the ‘Taylor Swift Curse’
In addition to a strong opponent, Purdue must also contend with a peculiar trend known as the ‘Taylor Swift curse.’ Historically, the Boilermakers have experienced a losing streak in games following the release of a Taylor Swift album. This pattern was highlighted on the podcast “The Solid Verbal” and has been an intriguing storyline for Purdue fans.
Tracking the Swift-Football Connection
Since Taylor Swift’s debut album in 2006, Purdue has played 10 games within a week of her album releases, losing each time. This includes:
- “Taylor Swift” – Loss to Penn State
- “Fearless” – Loss at Iowa
- “Speak Now” – Loss at Illinois
- “Red” – Loss at Minnesota
- “1989” – Loss at Nebraska
- “Reputation” – Loss at Northwestern
- “Lover” – Loss at Nevada
The streak seemed to pause in 2020 as timings did not align with Purdue’s game schedule, offering brief respite. But the pattern resumed with subsequent releases like “Red” (Taylor’s Version) and “Midnights.” The release of the latest album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” once again poses a challenge to Purdue’s winning aspirations this Saturday.
Breaking the Pattern
Purdue broke a decade-long losing streak associated with Swift’s albums earlier in 2024 with a sweeping victory over Indiana State. However, the victory fell outside the typical one-week window post-album release. Coach Odom remains optimistic about the upcoming match against Illinois, despite the historical trend casting a shadow over past performances.
| Album | Release Date | Game Result |
|---|---|---|
| “Taylor Swift” | Oct. 24, 2006 | Loss |
| “Fearless” | Nov. 11, 2008 | Loss |
Looking Ahead
The Boilermakers aim to defy history as they attempt to overcome both a ranked Illinois team and the long-standing Swift-related pattern. With coach Barry Odom’s rebuilding efforts gaining traction, Purdue fans hope this season will mark a significant turnaround — and perhaps, finally break the ‘Taylor Swift curse.’
Follow Emegypt for all the latest updates on Purdue’s progress and other trending college football stories.
