5 Boilermakers Whose Stock is on the Rise After Week 2
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue had ample opportunities to get a big win at home on Saturday, but the Boilermakers came up a few plays short. Instead of starting 2-0, Barry Odom's team fell to 1-1, suffering an agonizing 38-36 loss in double overtime to Wake Forest.
Despite the loss, several individuals stepped up and delivered in a big way on Saturday. There are a handful of standouts from the game whose stock is rising after a big performance against the Demon Deacons.
Ryan Browne, QB
- Week 2 stats — 32-of-42, 329 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions
Browne played a clean game for a second straight week, throwing for more than 300 yards against Wake Forest. Most importantly, he didn't throw any interceptions and helped Purdue drive the ball down the field throughout the game.
It wasn't a perfect game for Purdue's quarterback, but he played well enough to keep his team in the game. Had the Boilermakers come out on top, he probably would have had the play of the game, throwing a touchdown to De'Nylon Morrissette while getting rushed on a 4th-down play in overtime.
That throw forced a second overtime and was one of the most clutch passes Browne has made during his career in West Lafayette. Through two weeks, he has thrown for 646 yards and four touchdowns while completing 77.5% of his throws.
Jeremy Lewis, DE
- Week 2 stats — 5 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 1 solo tackle
One thing Purdue struggled with early in Saturday's game was the pass rush. Wake Forest quarterback Gio Lopez had way too much time in the pocket through the first three quarters of the game. When the Boilers did get pressure, Jeremy Lewis was a key factor.
Lewis ended the game with 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss for the Boilermakers, making a big impact in the fourth quarter of the contest. He received major praise during fall camp, and we saw some of that on display Saturday afternoon.
Lewis was productive at the junior college level last season, but there was a question about whether it would translate to the Big Ten or not. So far, it has.
Fame Ijeboi, RB
- Week 2 stats — 27 carries, 114 yards, 3 touchdowns, 6 catches, 42 yards
Purdue has only played two games, but it seems obvious that Ijeboi is the team's best offensive weapon. He nearly willed the Boilers to a victory with his performance against Wake Forest on Saturday.
Ijeboi rushed for more than 100 yards and three touchdowns, and was responsible for one ridiculous 25-yard run late in the fourth quarter that set up the game-tying field goal. Purdue decided to ride with its star running back down the stretch, and it paid off.
What's most impressive about Ijeboi is his ability to pick up yardage after contact. He's very rarely tackled on first contact and always seems to fall forward. The transfer has a chance to be a 1,000-yard rusher by the end of the year.
Jacobo Echeverria Lozano, K
- Week 2 stats — 3-of-4 field goals, long of 30 yards, 3-of-3 PATs
Lozano didn't make any long field goals in Saturday's game, but did he knock through some important kicks. The most important was a 21-yard attempt at the end of regulation, tying the game at 23-23 and forcing overtime. That's a high-pressure situation for a true freshman, regardless of distance.
The only miss was from 49 yards out, a kick that he had plenty of leg to make. Through his first two games, Lozano has made 6-of-7 attempts and is a perfect 8-of-8 on PAT tries. That's a pretty good start.
Purdue has needed Lozano more than expected because of drives stalling in the red zone, but he's pulled through in his first two games.
Chauncey Magwood, WR
- Week 2 stats — 5 catches, 77 yards, 1 carry, 18 yards
The wide receiver room has several playmakers, something that couldn't be said in the previous two seasons. Magwood was the individual who stepped up on Saturday. It started with a ridiculous catch while being pulled to the ground in the first half, a play no Purdue player could have made last fall.
Magwood proved to be a threat as a receiver and also in a jet sweep, taking his lone handoff nearly 20 yards. He didn't score a touchdown in the game, but the Boilers only had one score through the air for the game.
Multiple Purdue receivers are probably going to spend time on this weekly list, but Magwood was the one who stood out most from Saturday's game against Wake Forest.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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