The on again, off again Old Oaken Bucket game between Indiana and Purdue is back on and slated to be played at 7:30 p.m. Friday night in Memorial Stadium, according to a schedule release from the Big Ten on Sunday.
As part of the Weekend of Champions slate, the Big Ten paired Indiana and the Boilermakers together for its Week 9 crossover meeting. The two teams were to have played Dec. 12 in Bloomington, but Covid-19 issues within both programs prompted officials from Indiana and Purdue to pause team activities and initially cancel the game for the first time since 1919. The teams remained paused and it is unclear if the game, which is scheduled, will actually be played.
In a joint statement last week between Indiana Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Dolson and Purdue Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Bobinski, the two sides expressed disappointment in the cancelation.
“We’re certainly disappointed that we had to cancel the Old Oaken Bucket game. We both understand the history and tradition of one of the best rivalries in college football, but the safety and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches and staff is our primary priority. We will continue to monitor the situation on both campuses and listen to the advice of our medical professionals," the statement read.
Indiana knocked off Purdue 44-41 in double overtime to claim the Old Oaken Bucket for the first time under head coach Tom Allen's tenure.
The Hoosiers will enter Friday at 6-1 and ranked 7th in the AP Top 25, while Purdue is 2-4.
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