Purdue Hammered by Notre Dame's Explosive Offense in Blowout Loss
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A two-hour weather delay was the only resistance Notre Dame's offense faced in Saturday's game against Purdue. The Boilermakers' defense was no match for the 24th-ranked Fighting Irish, falling 56-30 to drop to 2-2 on the season.
Lightning actually began striking before a thunderstorm engulfed Notre Dame Stadium late in the second quarter. The first flash came on the Irish's first play from scrimmage, as quarterback CJ Carr connected with wide receiver Malachi Fields for a 66-yard touchdown.
That play pretty much set the tone for the rest of the afternoon.
Notre Dame scored on each of its first four possessions and jumped out to a 28-10 advantage midway through the second quarter. The run game was a large part of that success, with Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price accounted for the next three touchdowns after Carr's 66-yard bomb.
Purdue's offense didn't bow down, though. Despite an 18-point hole, the Boilermakers were able to cut the lead to 28-13 late in the second quarter. Then, the defense had its biggest play of the day, as Myles Slusher forced a fumble while sacking Carr, giving Purdue great field position and a chance to slice into the Irish lead.
That's when the storms rolled in to South Bend, which forced a temporary suspension from play with 1:31 to play in the second quarter. Both teams were sent to their respective locker rooms and waited two hours to return to the field.
After the delay, Purdue returned to the field and added another field goal from Spencer Porath to their total, making the score 28-16 with 1:13 to play in the second quarter.
That was the last time Purdue ever threatened Notre Dame.
Notre Dame's offense stays hot after weather delay
Yes, the weather delay prevented Notre Dame from reaching the end zone for a few hours, but the Fighting Irish came out of the locker room firing on all cylinders.
After Porath's field goal to make the score 28-16, Price returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, putting the Fighting Irish ahead by three scores.
Purdue responded once more, as quarterback Ryan Browne connected with Nitro Tuggle in the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown pass, making the score 35-23. Then Notre Dame pulled away.
The Irish scored on each of their next three possessions, breaking the game open and taking a 56-23 lead before the third quarter concluded. Purdue added one more touchdown at the end of the game to close out the scoring.
Notre Dame ended the game with 535 total yards and converted six-of-10 attempts on third down. Love rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries. Carr completed 10-of-12 passes for 223 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Price was the star of the show, finishing the contest with 142 kickoff return yards, 74 rushing yards, and three total touchdowns.
The Boilermakers were led by Browne, who threw for 250 yards and a touchdown. Tuggle had 66 yards and a touchdown on three catches. Backup quarterback Malachi Singleton actually led the team with 26 rushing yards.
Purdue now enters a much-needed bye week after back-to-back losses to USC and Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish picked up their first victory of the season.
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PURDUE'S TRICK PLAY TOUCHDOWN: The Boilermakers pulled out a trick play in South Bend to score their first touchdown of the game. Purdue's play call fooled everyone on Notre Dame's defense. CLICK HERE
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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