Purdue took a shot.

With less than two minutes left in the Foster Farms Bowl and trailing Arizona 35-31, the ball rested on the Wildcats’ 38-yard line. It was 3rd-and-10 when the Boilermakers trotted up to the line of scrimmage, needing to pick up every single inch if it wanted to round out an improbable year with a seemingly impossible accomplishment.

Elijah Sindelar fired the football high into the San Francisco sky, targeting Anthony Mahoungou in one-on-one coverage deep down the field. The sophomore quarterback threw up a prayer, trusting that his most talented receiver would make another big-time catch. It was a toss-up, a 50-50 ball that could’ve been the game-ender either way. And it came on 3rd-and-10.

The risk paid off for the Boilermakers. Mahoungou made a remarkable catch, ripped the ball away from the Arizona defender and fought his way into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown. Purdue clinched its first bowl victory and winning season since 2011 with that catch, as the Black and Gold held on for a 38-35 win.

That 3rd down play summarized Purdue’s approach to the Foster Farms Bowl, and it served as the perfect example of why Jeff Brohm is the perfect leader for this program. What the Boilermakers did offensively on Wednesday night was just a glimpse of what the program will look like moving forward.

 Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

For the first time this season, Brohm had the opportunity to show off his personality as head coach, and it was pretty evident from early in the game that he wanted to play his brand of football. Five of six plays on Purdue’s opening drive were pass plays with Sindelar completing three of those attempts, including a 31-yard touchdown pass to Mahoungou.

It took just 84 seconds for the Boilers to score on their first possession.

Purdue continued to be the aggressor throughout the first half, throwing the ball frequently, taking shots down the field and working in the run when it seemed fit. Brohm mixed in a few trick plays, including a handful of flea flickers and a fake kneel at the end of the first half that developed into a 30-yard run by D.J. Knox. The Boilers closed the half with a field goal thanks to that play-call.

The result was a 31-14 lead at recess.

RELATED: WATCH: Anthony Mahoungou Makes Spectacular Game-Winning TD Catch

Yes, the Boilermakers did go a little more conservative in the second half, and it cost them a 17-point lead and forced them to put together a game-winning drive in the final four minutes. But when Purdue needed to make a play, Brohm shifted back to his aggressive mindset and took a chance with the game on the line.

Expect to see plenty more of that out of West Lafayette in the coming years.

When the clock struck zero, Sindelar had attempted 53 passes, completing 33 for 396 yards and four touchdowns. Running backs D.J. Knox and Markell Jones combined for 187 yards on 32 carries. The Boilermakers went for it on fourth down three times and worked in a slew of trick plays throughout the contest.

That’s the style Brohm wants to play. It’s the style Purdue will play in the future, but couldn’t this season.

It doesn’t come without its frustrations. Though the Boilers were clicking in the first half, they struggled to move the ball in the final two quarters against an Arizona defense that was one of the nation’s worst against the pass. And, even though Brohm has done a solid job on the recruiting trail in a brief period of time, Purdue probably won’t have the pieces to execute his brand of football as effectively as he’d like next fall, either.

Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

Sometimes risks, like the one Purdue took at the end of the Foster Farms Bowl, won’t pay off. There are going to be a few puzzling decisions along the way. It’s just the nature of the college football beast. To put it simply, this is going to be a work in progress.

But Brohm’s aggressive nature and unique personality are a refreshing change for Purdue. In the final minutes of Wednesday’s game, the Boilermakers weren’t dinking and dunking down the field, picking up four yards at a time and hoping someone would break free. There were a few conservative plays shuffled into the deck, but the Boilermakers were actually looking to attack.

They didn’t play not to lose. They didn’t run three-yard outs every single play. They didn’t play for two downs on that 3rd-and-10 on their final possession. The Boilers went for the whole kit and caboodle, and it played out perfectly.

RELATED: WATCH: Purdue Runs Fake Kneel Play to Perfection

Mahoungou’s spectacular catch is going to be a highlight replayed in West Lafayette over the next several years. That play, and the significance of it, should be shown proper courtesy. The excitement and impact of that touchdown grab only lasts one night, though.

What Brohm and the Boilermakers showed the nation on Wednesday night in San Francisco will have a much longer lifespan.

The shot in the Foster Farms Bowl was the first of many. If it already paid off for the Boilermakers this season, imagine what Brohm can do moving forward.