5 Thoughts From Purdue's 24-17 Victory Over Illinois

Purdue's long losing streak has finally ended. The Boilermakers defeated the Fighting Illini 24-17 in Champaign, getting their first Big Ten win since 2023.

Purdue Boilermakers quarterback Ryan Browne (15) hands the ball to running back Fame Ijeboi (2). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Cannon is headed back to West Lafayette. Purdue snapped a 23-game losing streak to Power Four opponents on Saturday in Champaign, defeating Illinois 24-17. It is Purdue's first Big Ten win since 2023.

It was a hard-fought victory in Champaign, as the Boilermakers relied heavily on their defense and a few offensive gambles to get the win. With the victory, Purdue improved to 2-3 on the season and is now 1-1 in the Big Ten.

Here are a few quick thoughts from Purdue's victory over Illinois.

The defense did its job

After giving up 38 points or more in each of the last three games, Purdue's defense delivered in a big way on Saturday afternoon in Champaign. The Boilermakers didn't allow Illinois quarterback Katin Houser to get into a rhythm and truly disrupted everything the Illini tried to do offensively.

It looked like more of the same early, with Illinois converting some early on a few third-down situations. But the Boilermakers forced the Fighting Illini into a field goal, which was missed by Ethan Moczulski. The Fighting Illini only scored one touchdown, which came near the end of the first half.

The Fighting Illini totaled just 120 yards on 27 carries. Houser was 21-of-37 for 225 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. How fitting, too, that Purdue sealed the win with a John Slaughter interception.

Tra'Mar Harris had some clutch catches

Receiver Tra'Mar Harris didn't have the biggest day offensively for the Boilermakers, but he made some timely catches throughout the contest. He ended the game with three receptions for 52 yards.

One of those catches was a 21-yard reception from Ryan Browne for a touchdown to give the Boilermakers a 13-0 advantage in the second quarter. His third catch came on a 3rd-and-long in the fourth quarter with Purdue leading just 16-10. If he didn't make that catch, Illinois would have potentially gotten the ball with a chance to take a late lead.

Purdue's receiver room has been really good this season. Asaad Waseem, Xavier Townsend and Chauncey Magwood all had great days, but Harris might have had some of the most timely catches.

Special teams played a huge role in the victory

Yes, the Boilermakers would have loved to have put more points on the scoreboard. The offense got into the red zone multiple times and had to settle for too many field goals. That's a topic for a different day, though.

True freshman Jacobo Echeverria Lozano came through in clutch moments, converting on all three of his field goal attempts, as well as his lone extra point try. Having a kicker who can get you points is an asset.

Purdue needs to figure out ways to get across the goal line more in those situations, but it's always nice to have a reliable leg when you can't score touchdowns.

Josh Henson's gamble pays off

Late in the game, offensive coordinator Josh Henson decided to roll the dice. With Purdue having the football 1st-and-10 with under six minutes to play, he decided to dial up a long pass play. Browne delivered a strike to Magwood, who made a huge catch near the end zone.

That play got Purdue the ball down to the 1-yard line. A few plays later, running back Antonio Harris punched it in to give the Boilermakers a 24-10 advantage with 4:29 remaining in the contest.

At times, Purdue's offense has been critiqued as playing too conservatively. Henson trusted his quarterback and receivers to make a play, and they delivered.

The drought is over

Obviously, this is worth mentioning. Purdue's drought that extended 34 months and 23 games without a win over a Power Four opponent has finally concluded. It's the program's first Big Ten win since a late November victory over Indiana in 2023.

This has to feel good for everyone associated with the program, from Odom all the way down to the fans. How much momentum could a victory like Saturday's create for the Boilermakers moving forward?

It sets up a big-time matchup with Minnesota next week.

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