EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) Northwestern keeps cutting it close, but the 24th-ranked Wildcats are still picking up victories.
Justin Jackson ran for 116 yards and a late touchdown, and Warren Long ran for two more TDs to lead Northwestern to a 21-14 victory over Purdue on Saturday.
With a school record for wins and a spot in a prestigious bowl in reach, Northwestern (8-2, 4-2 Big Ten, No. 18 CFP) pulled out another close game.
Jackson plowed in from the 2 with 4:37 remaining to cap a 58-yard drive. The Wildcats converted four third downs -- including the TD -- on the possession, and quarterback Clayton Thorson broke off back-to-back 16-yard runs to put the ball on the 5.
Jackson's TD lifted Northwestern to its third straight win -- the Wildcats beat both Nebraska and Penn State by two points in their last two games.
Purdue (2-8, 1-5) dropped its second straight and remained winless against ranked teams since 2011.
Jackson followed a career-high 186-yard game against Penn State with another solid performance against an opponent that came in allowing a league-worst 205.1 yards rushing.
Long had a 32-yard touchdown on the opening drive and scored from the 1 midway through the second quarter to give Northwestern a 14-7 lead. He ran for 52 yards and Northwestern finished with 250 rushing.
Thorson threw for 82 yards and ran for 48 after leaving last week's game with a lower-body injury. Zack Oliver added 50 yards passing.
David Blough completed 26 of 45 passes for 287 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The freshman hit Domonique Young for a 68-yard score on Purdue's first play from scrimmage, but he also had several passes broken up by the secondary.
Young, who came in with 60 yards this season, finished with a career-high 107 on five catches. And Markell Jones carried 13 times for 58 yards.
Northwestern, which has never won more than 10 games in a season, led 14-7 at halftime thanks to two scoring runs by Long.
But Purdue drove 71 yards for a touchdown to start the second half, with Jones scoring on a 2-yard run.
Paul Griggs missed a 43-yard field goal on the Boilermakers' next possession and they came away empty-handed again after Frankie Williams returned an interception to the Northwestern 41.
The Wildcats had the ball on the Purdue 28 when Brandon Roberts intercepted Oliver on the first play of the fourth quarter. But again, the Boilermakers went nowhere.