Still Winnable: Purdue Unaffected By Early November Frost
(Photo credit: Purdue Athletics)
Purdue remains hobbled and continued to lose players in today’s game vs Nebraska but still had enough to beat a middling Big Ten team, prevailing 31-27.
It’s always good to have a winnable game on your schedule, which is surely what Nebraska thought as they headed into West Lala. Jokes aside, it was an entertaining, back and forth game between two programs in the West who both hope that they’ll be fighting for a division title in 2020.
Despite Drew Brees being in the house and talking to the team pregame, Purdue came out looking a bit sleepy as Nebraska raced out to a quick 10-0 lead. However, the sun came out and suddenly the D stiffened, the offense awoke, and Purdue built a 14-10 halftime lead.
In the second half, the Boilermakers did something that had to make all Purdue fans happy – the responded. Repeatedly. Every time Nebraska began to look like they would be able to simply bend the banged up Purdue squad, the Boilermakers answered….and it was so fun to see. They did what Purdue teams do under Jeff Brohm after a stinker – they don’t have another stinker.
Entering the fourth quarter, Purdue led 17-13, but Adrian Martinez scored to take a 20-17 lead.
Purdue answered with a nice 13-play, 78 yard drive led by Jack the Snack, culminating in a King Doerue seven yard rush. (Kangaroo hopped for 71 yards on 15 rushes and that TD; he also had five catches for 31 yards and a TD). The bad news was Snacktime came to an end abruptly when Jake scrambled for a nice gain of 14 but had his leg bent awkwardly. Immediately as he went down he shook his head violently. I at first thought he was shaking off getting his bell rung, as the saying goes, but I now think he maybe knew his leg was injured and was shaking his head like all of us. Turns out, he knew, as Brohm said after the game that he’s likely out for the season. What a season of craptastic luck. Our very own AOC entered the game and immediately demanded that everyone in the stadium be awarded one of Ohio State’s touchdowns.
I KID!
O’Connell finished off the drive and Doerue punched it in as mentioned.
Without Plummer, I imagine I wasn’t the only Purdue fan hoping Purdue could simple hold this lead and not put the game on his shoulders. Nothing against him – I just think that’s a lot to ask. Anyway, Nebraska came right back and pushed it 71 yards – not the first time in the second half where Purdue’s defense looked a little tired and discombobulated – for another Adrian Martinez rushing touchdown. With 4:21 to go, it would indeed be on Aidan O’Connell to lead Purdue to victory.
It’s so fun watching guys grow up before your eyes and AOC did that today. He’s been forced into action before but the slopfest that was the Illinois game did him no favors and shouldn’t really be used against him. This was a nice chance on a clear, sunny day to implement what Coach Brohm wanted. And implement it he did.
Starting from the Purdue 18, Purdue drove the length of the field. O’Connell went 6/7 for the game with 62 yards passing (coupled with Jack’s 25/34 for 242 and two TDs, a good QB day aside from the two picks). The game-winning play was a sneaky little end-around by David Bell from nine yards out to drive a stake right through Nebraska’s heart. Poor Scott Frost, only not really. Zero-for-Indiana this year and now at 4-5, the fightin’ Frosties might have a hard time making a bowl. You hate to see it.
Purdue, of course, keeps the dream alive of winning out an making a bowl. No, it’s not likely to happen, but you doubt the power of Brohmvember at your own peril.
Player of the Game
The prestigious BS player of the game award is what every Purdue player aspires to receive and it’s a tough call this week. Is it Bell for the game-winner? Is it AOC for the calm and steady hand? Is it Jack the Snack for his steely play and putting his body on the line? All worthy candidates, but we’ll go with King Doerue and his 102 yards and two TDs.
Next up, Purdue travels to Northwestern, a team Coach Brohm is 0-2 against. So he’s due….right?
