NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The final from the Music City Bowl: 63-14 Auburn. It was the most points a Purdue football team ever has allowed in a game.
"It wasn't a great day for us," head coach Jeff Brohm said.
All day long, it was a different verse, same song for Purdue, which was dominated in every aspect of the game ... and probably in a few that weren't chronicled on the final stat sheet.
"That one happened fast," Brohm said. "We got behind the 8-ball early. It was a bad day of football. It was disappointing, but we will learn from it."
Auburn scored on a 66-yard touchdown pass on the third play of the game ... and never looked back. By the time Boiler fans glanced up from their first sip of Diet RC, Purdue was losing 28-7 after one quarter. And it only went downhill from there. How bad was it? The Boilermakers trailed 56-7 at halftime. Auburn didn't punt until less than four minutes remained in the third quarter. On and on it went.
When Auburn made it 49-7 with 5:36 left in the first half, Tigers fans hardly cheered. They were worn out from shaking their orange and blue pom-pons.
"Unfortunately, we didn't go out the way we wanted," Brohm said. "But it will make us tougher, and you have to find a way to get better.
"We have to get better in a lot of areas. I do think we are making strides. Winning matters to the players, and they want to improve."
There will be no storybook ending.
There will be no winning season.
And that's too bad, because Purdue deserved better, finishing 6-7 in what most felt was a rebuilding season.
"This game showed we have a long ways to go," Brohm said.
Still, this was a special season because of two special people. No loss - not even one as brutal as this defeat - can sully what Purdue super fan Tyler Trent and senior quarterback David Blough meant to this school and program in 2018.
Trent was on hand today, serving as an honorary captain for the Boilermakers. Understandably, he has good days and bad days as he battles terminal cancer and is in hospice care. Friday, it wasn't a good day, according to a Tweet from his father Tony Trent: "Please be praying for @theTylerTrent for strength and endurance today. Going to be a long day."
All season long, Trent served as inspiration, first for Purdue and then for the nation as he put on a brave face while starring down a grime prognosis. As the 20-year-old fought for his life, Trent never wallowed in self-pity. Instead, he has opted to use his last days as a servant to others in helping raise awareness of cancer and money to fight the disease. Trent never will be forgotten for what he has meant to the world. His impact will be everlasting.
"He has been an inspiration to us, our team, community, the school and the entire nation," Brohm said. "His strength has helped us overcome some things. He helps us win some games with the encouragement he provided. We are appreciative to have him.
"He is Tyler Strong, and we are glad to have him."
Tyler Trent magic - and Purdue's season, for that matter - hit its zenith during a 49-20 win vs. No. 2 Ohio State in October. Trent was on hand to cheer his Boilermakers, drawing national attention that was amplified that day by a feature on ESPN College GameDay. Trent continued to be with the Boilermakers in-person and in spirit, as the program rebounded from an 0-3 start to go 6-3 to close the season and reach a bowl game for the second season in a row.
All the while, Trent formed a bond with Blough, a player who has dealt with his own adversity - albeit not of the magnitude of Trent. And, like Trent, Blough has always handled himself with aplomb and grace. The image earlier this month of Blough pushing Trent's wheelchair at the College Football Awards show where he received the Disney Spirit Award remains indelible.
Blough was rocked by a gruesome ankle injury in 2017 that ended his season, required surgery and cast doubt over his future. He sat idle and watched Elijah Sindelar led the Boilermakers to a bowl win to end 2017. Then, Blough absorbed another blow when he lost the starting job to Sindelar in training camp. This wasn't how Blough's final season on campus was supposed to unfold. He didn't eschew the chance to be a graduate transfer to sit on the bench at Purdue.
Still, Blough never flinched or stopped working. And then it happened: Sindelar got hurt two games into this season, and Blough took over. He became a star, further endearing himself to fans and alums but rallying the Boilermakers to another bowl. It was a great way for him to punctuate his career.
"He battled, overcame adversity," Brohm said. "He has a great future, whatever he does. He is a great leader and we were lucky to have him."
Today didn't go as Trent or Blough wanted. Still, both leave today knowing they will be forever loved and admired for their selfless attitude and how they have helped inspire others.
Thank you, Tyler. And thank you, David.