Big Fan on Campus: Tyler Trent steals the show as Purdue upsets Ohio State

While the Purdue Boilermakers were destroying the Ohio State Buckeyes on the football field, the entire Purdue community was rallying around Tyler Trent and his fight against cancer.

On Saturday, the Purdue Boilermakers had no issue upsetting what was then the No. 2 team in the country. Against the Ohio State Buckeyes, Purdue appeared to be a complete, dominant team, devastating a porous Buckeye defense and slowing a potent Ohio State offense. Purdue’s fans really made an impact on the game, but it was the impact that they had on one of their own fellow fans that really made a difference.

Tyler Trent is a former Purdue student who is battling terminal bone cancer. He’s only 20-years-old, and recently had to leave school due to his health and is now living in hospice care at home and facing the reality that his life is coming to an end. Yet, Tyler is living his life and is facing every struggle he has right now with courage and perseverance.

Despite his illness and the difficulties that come with it, Tyler is doing everything he can to continue to live his life as one normally would. Though he had to step away from being a student at Purdue so that he could focus on his health, he is still supporting the Boilermakers to the full extent of his ability. Beyond just that, Tyler Trent is an inspiration for the Purdue community. As he has inspired them, his story has spread and now inspires many across the country.

On Saturday night, while the Boilermakers beat No. 2 Ohio State by 29 points, the focus wasn’t solely on the results of what happened on the field. They were on Tyler and his story and how everything that was happening with him intermingled with what was going on with the football team. Tom Rinaldi’s feature with Tyler that aired in the morning on College GameDay is a moving story that needs to be seen.

And of course, Rinaldi kept close to Tyler throughout the game, interviewing him and getting his thoughts on what was going on with Purdue who was trying to make his prediction that they’d win come true.

During the game, Purdue’s fans replaced their famous IU sucks chant with one that was a bit more appropriate for the occasion. Instead of taking a shot at the Boilermakers’ rival, Purdue gave a notable amount of support for one of their own.

This tweet summed up the entirety of the feelings associated with this game.

After the upset win that saw the fans rush the field at Ross-Ade Stadium, Tyler got to go inside the Purdue locker room where the players and coaches chanted his name, he got to address the team and head coach Jeff Brohm spoke of Tyler’s courage.

Tyler Trent is an inspiration. At this point, he’s not just an inspiration for Purdue and its fans. He is nationally known and is someone that should be commended for how bravely he has fought this fight.

Last night, Tyler was embraced fully by Purdue’s fans, the team, and the country. The Boilermakers took down the No. 2 team in the country and did so convincingly. Beating Ohio State in this fashion will earn this team plenty of respect. It also helped spread Tyler Trent’s story and showed the country how the Boilermakers support their own.