How to Watch Purdue vs. Washington With TV, Radio, Forecast, Stats & Preview

Friday Night Lights return to West Lafayette this week. Purdue hosts Washington under the lights at Ross-Ade Stadium in an important Big Ten clash. Both teams are 3-3, but the Boilermakers feel much better about their situation than the Huskies.

Purdue is 2-1 in Big Ten play while Washington is still searching for its first Big Ten win. Both teams have a bye week next weekend, so they'd each love to get a win before kicking their feet up for a few days.

It should be a fun night in West Lafayette. Here's everything you need to know for Friday night's contest.

How to follow along

• What: Purdue (3-3, 2-1 Big Ten) vs. Washington (3-3, 0-3 Big Ten)
• When: Friday, Oct. 16, 2026
• Where: Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind.
• Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX
• Stream: FOX One
• TV announcers: Dan Hellie (play-by-play), Robert Smith (analyst)
• Radio: Purdue Global Radio Network | 96.5 FM WAZY (Lafayette), 100.9 FM WKJG (Fort Wayne), 1260 AM WNDE (Indianapolis), 99.5 FM WFNB (Terre Haute), 1450 AM WXVW (Louisville), SiriusXM Channel 180
• Radio announcers: Tim Newton (play-by-play), Mark Hermann (analyst), Derek Schultz (sideline), Rob Blackmon (producer)
• Live stats: StatBroadcast

Forecast outlook

Weather hasn't really been a factor for any of Purdue's six games this season, but that probably will change Friday night. Rain and blustery winds are in the forecast, accompanied by a cool night. Temperatures are expected to be in the 50s for the game, by far the coolest game of the season the Boilermakers have played. Here's the quick rundown of the projected forecast (per weather.com):

• High temperature: 71 degrees
• Low temperature: 48 degrees
• Temperature at kickoff: 52 degrees
• Skies: Cloudy
• Rain chances: 80% overall, 30% at kickoff
• Wind: Northwest at 12-17 mph (gusts up to 30 mph)

Scouting Washington

Jedd Fisch, head coach

• 3rd season at Washington, 6th year as a head coach
• 18-14 record with the Huskies
• Overall coaching record 35-36
• 9-4 in 2025, including a win in the LA Bowl
• Coached at Arizona from 2021 through 2023
• Guided the Wildcats to a 16-23 record
• Arizona went 10-3 in 2023, won the Alamo Bowl
• Worked under Jim Harbaugh as the OC at Michigan (2015-16)
• Spent time working in the NFL for multiple franchises

Key players

• Demond Williams Jr., QB — Williams is a threat with both his arm and his legs, making him a tough matchup for the Purdue defense. However, he's listed as "questionable" on the team's availability report, so he may not see the field. Through six games, Williams has thrown for 1,396 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions. He also has a pair of rushing touchdowns.

• Dezmen Roebuck, WR — A sure-handed receiver, Roebuck has been one of Washington's top two receiving threats this season. He's hauled in 43 receptions for 387 yards, leading the team in both categories. Last year, he totaled 560 yards and seven touchdowns on 42 catches.

• Chris Lawson, WR — Lawson is the team's second-best target, providing the Huskies with a great one-two punch at receiver. He has accounted for 380 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 26 catches. He's not the biggest receiver at 6-foot, 185 pounds, but he can make plays with the ball in his hands.

• Alex McLaughlin, S — There's been no question about Washington's best defensive player this season. From the safety position, McLaughlin leads the team in tackles (41), tackles for loss (5.0), pass break-ups (3), sacks (2.5) and interceptions (2). He's a playmaker in the Huskies' secondary and is a player who Purdue must scheme around.

• Jacob Manu, LB — Manu has been a force from the linebacker position, tallying 35 tackles, which includes 24 solo stops. He has totaled 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss through the first six games. Manu is having a much more productive year in 2026 after playing in just five games last season.

• Jacob Lane, DE — Lane has been effective coming off the edge for Washington's defense this season. He has 4.0 tackles for loss and a total of 16 stops on the season. Although he hasn't gotten to the quarterback yet this season, he has been credited with three quarterback hurries.

Boilers to watch

• Ryan Browne, QB — Browne continues to play at a high level, completing more than 68% of his passes and throwing for nine touchdowns with just one interception. Last week, the run game was a big part of Purdue's offense, totaling 81 yards on only seven carries. He's not the typical dual-threat quarterback, but he can lead the offense in a variety of ways.

• Fame Ijeboi, RB — Purdue's backfield got a major upgrade in the offseason with the addition of Ijeboi. He already has 549 rushing yards and has scored nine touchdowns on the ground for the Boilers. He's coming off the best performance of his career, totaling 195 yards and scoring three touchdowns against Minnesota last weekend.

• Chauncey Magwood, WR — Magwood hasn't been the top receiver for the Boilers this season, but he has come up with some huge catches this year. Most notably, he came up with a critical 31-yard catch late against Illinois to help secure a victory. He has 17 catches for 206 yards and a touchdown.

• Asaad Waseem, WR — Leading the way for the Purdue passing attack, Waseem has hauled in 29 catches for 472 yards, averaging 16.3 yards per catch. He has proven to be a reliable target for Browne and is a player who can pick up big yardage because of his elite play-making ability.

• Jojo Hayden, LB — Hayden has been a great addition to the linebacker room. He's the team's leading tackler and has accounted for 40 tackles and a pair of quarterback hurries through six games. Last week against Minnesota, he secured the first interception of his career.

• Charles Correa, LB — Correa is the leader of the defense and continues to make plays for the Boilermakers in his second season in West Lafayette. He has 38 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, six pass break-ups, two quarterback hurries and an interception.

Key stats

Offense

Defense

Fast facts

Boilers winless vs. Huskies at Ross-Ade Stadium

Washington leads the all-time series against Purdue 8-2-1, but the Huskies are undefeated at Ross-Ade Stadium. They are 3-0 in West Lafayette, winning games in 1972 (22-21), 1988 (20-6) and 1990 (20-14). Can the Boilers get their first win over Washington in Ross-Ade Stadium Satuday night?

Purdue's last win over Washington came in the 2002 Sun Bowl, defeating the Huskies 34-24. Last year, the Boilers lost this matchup in Seattle 49-13.

The QB situation

Purdue will have to prepare for two quarterbacks on Friday. Williams is listed as "questionable" after suffering a rib injury in last week's loss to Iowa. It makes things a little more challenging for Barry Odom and defensive coordinator Kevin Kane.

Elijah Brown came in last week and threw for 251 yards and three interceptions against the Hawkeyes. He provided a spark off the bench, even though the Huskies were on the wrong side of the scoreboard.

A blustery evening

Weather hasn't been an issue for Purdue this season, but that's likely to change. There is rain and wind in the forecast for Friday night, which could seriously change how offensive coordinator Josh Henson calls the game.

We've reached October in the Midwest, which means the weather is going to be unpredictable the rest of the season. How much will it impact both teams on Friday?

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