Rapid Reaction: Purdue converts late, overcomes early deficit to defeat Nebraska
Final score: Purdue 31 Nebraska 27
Brief recap: Nebraska marched into West Lafayette and got off to a hot start, building a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. And it had the chance to take a 17-0 advantage and really pull away from the Boilers. But another red zone turnover, this time an Adrian Martinez interception, proved to be costly. Purdue charged back and took a 14-10 lead into the half, scoring two second quarter touchdowns. The game got into a bit of a shootout in the second half. There were four lead changes in the final 30 minutes of the game. Trailing 24-20 with under 5 minutes to play, Martinez dove across the goal line to give Nebraska a 27-24 lead, but it wasn’t enough to get the win. With third-string quarterback Aidan O’Connell leading the final drive for the Boilermakers. On a 3rd down inside Nebraska’s 10-yard line, Jeff Brohm dialed up a revers to David Bell that worked to perfection, and resulted in being the game-clinching play for the Boilermakers.
Key moment: It’s tempting to put Bell’s game-winning touchdown as the key moment, but Cory Trice intercepting Adrian Martinez in the second quarter to prevent Nebraska from taking a 17-0 (or even 13-0) lead in the first half was unbelievably huge. Don’t overlook the importance of that play.
Key stat: Purdue’s 145 rushing yards aren’t a ton, but it’s the highest total of the season for the Boilermakers. Both King Doerue and Jack Plummer (before his injury) were threats on the ground, enough so to keep things open in the passing attack. It proved to be enough the keep the Huskers honest.
Key player: Doerue had arguably the best game of his young career. The freshman totaled 71 yards on 15 rushes with an additional 31 yards on five catches. He had one receiving and one running touchdown in the victory for the Boilermakers.
What it means for Nebraska: Once thought to be a guarantee, Nebraska’s postseason hopes continue to dwindle. Now, the Huskers must win two of their final three games to get to a bowl game — with Wisconsin, Maryland and Iowa left on the schedule. This was another big, early lead Scott Frost’s team allowed to slip through its fingers. Mental mistakes, costly turnovers and bad defense now has the Huskers sitting 4-5 on the season.
What it means for Purdue: Regardless of what the record says, Purdue has continued to fight all season long. The Boilers have battled injuries and inexperience, and the 3-6 record shows it’s been an uphill battle in West Lafayette. But Saturday shows that, when Purdue operates well, it can play with just about anyone in the conference. While the Boilers would still need to win out to earn another bowl berth — and that’s unlikely — this is a team that can still flirt with the postseason.