By TODD DVORAK
Associated Press Writer
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IOWA CITY, Iowa -Brad Banks didn't offer any inspiring words in the huddle as Iowa prepared to start a final touchdown drive Saturday against Purdue.
He didn't need to.
Banks engineered an 87-yard scoring drive with 2:16 remaining and no timeouts, capped by a 7-yard TD pass to Dallas Clark on fourth-and-goal to lead the 24th-ranked Hawkeyes past Purdue 31-28.
"He just called the play. ... I think everyone just kind of knew the situation," said Clark, who caught the TD with 1:07 left. "Everyone just knew what they had to do and they went out and did their part. It was great the way it turned out."
The winning drive was the most consistent offensive effort of the day for Iowa (5-1, 2-0 Big Ten), which was outgained and outplayed by Purdue (3-3,1-1) for much of the game.
Iowa needed two special teams touchdowns and a 95-yard TD pass from Banks to Clark just to have a chance win at the end.
Purdue, led by backup quarterback Brandon Kirsch, rallied from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to take a 28-24 lead with just under six minutes remaining.
Kirsch, who replaced Kyle Orton midway through the third quarter after Orton left with a mild concussion, passed for 163 yards and scored on a 16-yard run to narrow Iowa's lead to 24-21.
On the next possession, the freshman passed for 52 yards to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Jon Goldsberry, giving the Boilermakers a 28-24 lead.
On Purdue's final possession, Kirsch marched the Boilermakers to the Iowa 25 before his pass was deflected and intercepted by Adolphus Shelton.
"He did a good job going in, he did everything we could ask of him," Purdue coach Joe Tiller said of Kirsch. "The only comment I have about it is that he deserved better than that."
Iowa, ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time since 1997, needed big plays to overcome a struggling offense and nine penalties that cost the Hawkeyes 80 yards.
Trailing 14-3 in the second quarter, Antwan Allen scooped up a blocked Berin Lacevic field goal and ran 85 yards for a touchdown.
Iowa's special teams struck again in the second half. Trailing 14-10, Sean Considine blocked Brent Slaton's punt. Jermire Roberts recovered the loose ball in the end zone to give the Hawkeyes a 17-14 lead.
"We held on to the football (on offense) and now we find a way to turn it over in the kicking game, which is unacceptable," Tiller said.
Iowa struck with another big play late in the third quarter. With the ball on the Iowa 5-yard line, Banks threw a short pass to Clark, who raced to the end zone to give Iowa a 24-14 lead.
Purdue amassed 507 yards on offense, most of them coming through the air as Kirsch and Orton carved up an Iowa secondary ranked last in the Big Ten.
"We got outplayed a lot, on offense and defense a lot of the game," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. "But we played well on special teams, and when we had to have it we had it today. (Purdue) could sure feel like they won the game, but somehow, some way, our guys found a way to win a football game and that goes a long ways."
Iowa scored first on a 51-yard field goal by Nate Kaeding, who has now made 14 consecutive field goals this season.
But Purdue responded when Orton threw a 61-yard touchdown pass to John Standeford.
Purdue's second score came after Stuart Schweigert recovered an Ed Hinkel fumble. Purdue, aided by a personal foul penalty when Matt Roth hit Orton on a third down, marched 71 yards in 13 plays, capped by Jerod Void's 1-yard dive to take a 14-3 lead.
Orton was 22-of-37 for 247 yards and a touchdown before leaving.
Receiver Taylor Stubblefield caught 13 passes for 149 yards and Standeford caught 6 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown.
Iowa running back Fred Russell, the Big Ten's leading rusher, finished with 121 yards on 22 carries.