Balanced Offense, Takeaways Propell Purdue Football in 28-23 Victory Over Nebraska

Purdue football ran for 116 yards against Nebraska, helping the offense to a mistake-free afternoon against Nebraska. The Boilermakers came away with four interceptions to stifle Adrian Martinez and the Cornhuskers.

Author:
D.J. Fezler
Publish date:
Oct 30, 2021 8:18 PM EDT

LINCOLN, Neb. — It was a fight for the football with less than two minutes to play in a battle between two Big Ten West programs. Trailing by less than a touchdown, Nebraska lined up for an onside kick, needing a recovery against Purdue to keep its hopes of a comeback win alive.

But in that final scrum, junior tight end Payne Durham emerged with the ball for the Boilermakers. He flaunted his team’s possession while knowing he secured a 28-23 road victory at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Nebraska may have gained more yards than Purdue, but the team never turned the ball over and demonstrated the ability to run the ball while its defense snatched four interceptions Saturday.

In the first two quarters, it was a back-and-forth matchup as the Cornhuskers — led by junior quarterback Adrian Martinez — scored on three of their first four offensive drives. Nebraska opened the scoring with a 16-yard catch and run to junior wide receiver Omar Manning.

Purdue, after failing to convert on a 36-yard field goal attempt, equalized the contest thanks to its defense. For the second straight game, the Boilermakers scored on a defensive touchdown.

Junior linebacker Jalen Graham stepped in front of a short throw by Martinez and raced 45 yards into the end zone to tie the game in the second quarter. It was the first of two interceptions during the game for Graham.

However, Martinez did not appear to be rattled by the mistake, leading a five-play, 75-yard scoring drive to jump to a 14-7 lead on the very next possession.

It was Purdue’s turn to cash in on a long offensive drive, and it did just that. Fifth-year senior running back Zander Horvath plunged into the end zone on a one-yard run to cap off a 14-play drive and tie the game once again.

Horvath finished the game with 11 carries for 24 yards in his first game since getting injured in a victory over UConn on Sept. 11.

Nebraska gained the upper hand with a late, first-half field goal to take a 17-14 lead into the locker room. But the Cornhuskers’ wouldn’t put points on the board until their final drive of the game.

In the second half, Martinez crippled Nebraska’s momentum by throwing another trio of interceptions. Although, Purdue was unable to capitalize on his mistakes, earning just six points on the four takeaways.

Fifth-year senior quarterback Aidan O’Connell and the Boilermakers’ offense controlled the game, finishing with over 38 minutes in time of possession. The signal-caller completed 34 of his 45 passes for 233 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the second half.

Junior running back King Doerue was Purdue’s leading rusher, gaining 74 yards on 17 attempts. Redshirt fifth-year wide receiver Jackson Anthrop also contributed 25 yards on the ground before catching his first touchdown of the season.

The Boilermakers gained 116 yards on the ground, the second 100-yard rushing performance of the season and the first since defeating UConn. Anthrop tallied 11 touches for 68 total yards to complement junior wide receiver David Bell’s team-high nine catches for 74 yards.

Purdue was cruising in the second half before Martinez and the Nebraska offense rallied for a last-ditch effort to bring the game back. With their backs against the wall, the Cornhuskers went 94 yards in eight plays to reach the end zone for the third time.

A failed two-point conversion attempt made it a 28-23 game, but the score stuck when Durham landed on the football on the ensuing onside kick. With the win, Purdue moves to 5-3 (3-2 in the Big Ten) and will play a highly-ranked Michigan State team next week at Ross-Ade Stadium.

PURDUE, NEBRASKA LIVE BLOG: The Purdue Boilermakers were on the road Saturday following a loss to Wisconsin. They faced off against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium. CLICK HERE