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Purdue football: 3 things to like, 3 not to like following last-second loss to Syracuse
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Purdue frequently couldn’t get out of its own way Saturday.
But despite their own mistakes — physical and mental — the Boilermakers had a chance late, scoring a go-ahead touchdown with 51 seconds left. But a mess followed: back-to-back unsportsmanlike penalties immediately after the score, a questionable pass interference and a 25-yard touchdown gave Syracuse the win.
There were good moments, like Purdue’s ability to stick with it on the road and give itself a chance, but bad ones, too, like the mental breakdowns that cost the Boilermakers a win.
Let’s take a look at 3 things to like and 3 to dislike following the 32-29 loss.
3 to like
O’Connell’s calm
Quarterback Aidan O’Connell twice made what appeared to be game-ending plays.
The first came when the senior threw an ill-advised pass into the gut of Syracuse defensive lineman Caleb Okechukwu, giving the Orange a seemingly insurmountable 10-point lead with 8 minutes left. But as has been the tendency for the former walk-on throughout his career, O’Connell rallied, first hitting Charlie Jones for a 55-yard TD, then directing a drive ending with a 12-yard score to tight end Payne Durham to give the Boilermakers the lead with 51 seconds left.
O’Connell has had a penchant for 4th-quarter comebacks in his Purdue career, doing it 4 times and nearly adding a 5th Saturday. But Purdue’s own lack of discipline, with 2 unsportsmanlikes, and a breakdown defensively helped the Orange get the last word.
Although he wasn’t perfect — the pick-6 was particularly ugly — he managed adversity well and gave the Boilermakers a chance late. He finished with 424 yards on 39-of-55 passing with 3 touchdowns and the interception.
Defense (for a while)
For 59 minutes on Saturday, Purdue’s defense did enough to help the Boilermakers to a win.
The last minute didn’t go well, with a pass interference and then — more critically — a breakdown on the game-winning scoring strike. Why did Purdue appear to be in man coverage without over-the-top help?
But as for the good … Purdue kept star running back Sean Tucker from going off, holding him to 42 yards on 18 attempts. And although quarterback Garrett Shrader got loose a few times, he didn’t nuke the Boilermakers on the ground either, going for 83 yards on 17 attempts with a long of 15. The Boilermakers forced Shrader into enough passing downs, and the QB was largely ineffective, hitting on less than 50 percent of his attempts for 181 yards — but 3 scores. Before the 4th quarter, Purdue allowed only 190 yards. And overall, Syracuse was only 3-of-11 on 3rd downs, although it did convert a critical 4th down that resulted in a TD.
The Boilermakers also had a couple apparent turnovers taken off the board, an interception waived off by a pass interference call and a potential fumble that was ruled an incomplete pass. Both were borderline, but the home team got the calls.
The O (sorta)
Purdue rolled up yardage, although even that comes with a caveat: The Boilermakers’ offense probably could have put this game away — or come close to it — late in the first half or early in the third quarter, but it wasn’t able to extend the lead and put too much on its defensive counterparts.
But the good included picking up 485 yards and converting 10-of-17 3rd downs and 1-of-2 on 4ths — although the miss came on the 1st drive in the red zone and prevented the Boilermakers from scoring.
3 to dislike
Mental mistakes
Purdue committed 13 penalties for 144 yards.
Perhaps some of those are uncontrollable — officials occasionally throw questionable, or downright bad, flags — but others are controllable, and the Boilermakers nuked their chances with bad mental mistakes late in the game.
With Purdue appearing to force a punt late in the third quarter while clinging to a 9-3 lead, senior Jack Sullivan was rightly called for a late hit, extending a drive that resulted in a go-ahead ‘Cuse TD 6 plays later. Then, after Purdue had taken a 29-25 lead with only 51 seconds left, the Boilermakers committed consecutive unsportsmanlike penalties, first on tight end Payne Durham, then on a Purdue coach. It forced Purdue to kick off from its own 10, and Syracuse started its drive from the 50, instead of likely the 25 or so. Maybe Durham was baited, probably so, but the ensuing penalty from a member of the coaching staff is inexcusable.
Yes, a questionable defensive pass interference was called and the refs might have missed an offensive hold, but Purdue couldn’t control the things within its grasp and suffered because of it.
It wasn’t a good look either, when Purdue committed 2 more unsportsmanlike penalties following the winning touchdown, leaving Syracuse to kick off from the Boilermakers’ 35-yard line, an unusual look, to say the least.
Physical mistakes
Purdue lost the game by 3.
It failed on a 4th down in the red zone, coming up empty on a prime scoring chance.
It had an extra point blocked.
It failed on a 2-point try.
It missed a field goal.
It threw a pick-6.
The Boilermakers had their chances but missed out on too many opportunities.
1-2
A team that has high hopes for a Big Ten West championship and potentially a 9- or 10-win season now sits 1-2.
And the Boilermakers have let Ws slip from their grasp in the 2 losses, falling late to Penn State in Week 1, then doing so again in Week 3. Purdue, at least as it looks right now, might not have the talent level to give away opportunities. It can’t commit the mental mistakes and maybe at least some of the physical ones, and expect to come away victorious.
Purdue can still achieve this season — the Big Ten West wasn’t decided, or even influenced, by Saturday’s outcome — but the Boilermakers have much to clean up.
Kyle Charters, a familiar face at Gold & Black, covers Purdue, Indiana and college basketball for Saturday Tradition.