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IOWA CITY, Iowa - Purdue didn't get the desired result at Iowa, but the future of the program looks bright as several freshmen made significant contributions for a team that continues to improve.
No performance, though, was bigger than what wide receiver David Bell accomplished.
Iowa recovered a pair of onside-kick attempts in the final three-plus minutes of the game and held on for a 26-20 win over Purdue on Saturday in Kinnick Stadium.
Bell, however, continues to emerge as not just a freshman All-American candidate, but one of the top receivers in the Big Ten Conference. He caught 13 catches for 197 yards and one touchdown.
The 197 yards are the eighth-most in school history and the most in Purdue annals by a freshman, breaking the record set last year by Rondale Moore against Ohio State. Over the last four games, Bell has 33 receptions for 505 yards.
That's the most yards that Iowa, a top-five defense nationally, has allowed to a wide receiver all season. And Bell did it in myriad of ways - deep balls in coverage, intermediate routes, slants and while sliding on the ground.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Jack Plummer consistently found Bell, often on consecutive plays to keep drives moving. Plummer completed 30 of 50 passes for 327 yards and two touchdowns.
Iowa (5-2 overall, 2-2 Big Ten) won the time of possession by a little more than 11 minutes and gained 362 yards of offense. Purdue's defense bent a few times, but limited the damage by keeping the Hawkeyes out of the end zone for the first half.
Iowa led Purdue at halftime, 9-7. But the Boilermakers (2-5, 1-3) finished the first half with all of the momentum, scoring a touchdown in the final minute and receiving the second-half kickoff.
Plummer orchestrated a 78-yard touchdown drive in just 1:36 of game time. A familiar pattern emerged on the drive: Plummer to Bell. Those two connected four times on the drive, including a 7-yard touchdown catch Bell made while sliding on the ground.
On the drive, Bell had a 42-yard catch on a play where he was held but fought through that and outran the coverage for a gain into Iowa's red zone. He also had catches of seven and eight yards on the key drive.
Purdue's offense picked up where it left off to begin the second half, as Bell had three catches on the opening drive of the third quarter. Plummer, though, underthrew Bell on a pass that Iowa intercepted in the red zone. The Hawkeyes took advantage of the turnover, capping a 9-play, 72-yard drive with Tyler Goodson's 1-yard touchdown rush, pushing the lead to 16-7.
Iowa added another field goal - its fourth of the game - to go up 19-7 in the third quarter.
Purdue needed a spark in the fourth quarter and the defense provided one with Dedrick Mackey's interception and 27-yard return led to a first-and-goal opportunity that resulted in J.D. Dellinger's 27-yard field goal.
With just under four minutes left in the game, Plummer connected with Bell for a 54-yard gain, which, coupled with a late-hit penalty on Plummer, moved the ball into the red zone on one play. The drive stalled at that point, and Dellinger's 36-yard field goal with 2:59 remaining cut Purdue's deficit to one possession at 19-13.
Iowa recovered the ensuing onside kick and a late-hit penalty gave Iowa the ball at the Purdue 35-yard line. Iowa's Mekhi Sargent ran for a 14-yard touchdown two plays later, giving the Hawkeyes a 26-13 lead with 2:16 remaining.
Purdue, though, didn't go away. Plummer led a 72-yard scoring drive over 1:52, culminating with Payne Durham's 1-yard touchdown catch with 24 seconds left.
The Hawkeyes subsequently recovered the second onside kick attempt to close out the win.
Purdue senior tight end Brycen Hopkins had five catches for 51 yards, while freshman Amad Anderson had two catches for 32 yards. Freshman running back King Doerue carried 10 times for 26 yards, also catching three passes for 16 yards.
Boilermaker freshman George Karlaftis had a sack, his fifth of the season. Derrick Barnes had eight tackles, while Ben Holt, Navon Mosley and Brennan Thieneman each had seven stops.
Purdue hosts Illinois on Oct. 26. Kickoff is set for noon ET at Ross-Ade Stadium.
• Photo Gallery
• Audio Highlights
• Video Highlights
IOWA CITY, Iowa - Purdue didn't get the desired result at Iowa, but the future of the program looks bright as several freshmen made significant contributions for a team that continues to improve.
No performance, though, was bigger than what wide receiver David Bell accomplished.
Iowa recovered a pair of onside-kick attempts in the final three-plus minutes of the game and held on for a 26-20 win over Purdue on Saturday in Kinnick Stadium.
Bell, however, continues to emerge as not just a freshman All-American candidate, but one of the top receivers in the Big Ten Conference. He caught 13 catches for 197 yards and one touchdown.
The 197 yards are the eighth-most in school history and the most in Purdue annals by a freshman, breaking the record set last year by Rondale Moore against Ohio State. Over the last four games, Bell has 33 receptions for 505 yards.
That's the most yards that Iowa, a top-five defense nationally, has allowed to a wide receiver all season. And Bell did it in myriad of ways - deep balls in coverage, intermediate routes, slants and while sliding on the ground.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Jack Plummer consistently found Bell, often on consecutive plays to keep drives moving. Plummer completed 30 of 50 passes for 327 yards and two touchdowns.
Iowa (5-2 overall, 2-2 Big Ten) won the time of possession by a little more than 11 minutes and gained 362 yards of offense. Purdue's defense bent a few times, but limited the damage by keeping the Hawkeyes out of the end zone for the first half.
Iowa led Purdue at halftime, 9-7. But the Boilermakers (2-5, 1-3) finished the first half with all of the momentum, scoring a touchdown in the final minute and receiving the second-half kickoff.
Plummer orchestrated a 78-yard touchdown drive in just 1:36 of game time. A familiar pattern emerged on the drive: Plummer to Bell. Those two connected four times on the drive, including a 7-yard touchdown catch Bell made while sliding on the ground.
On the drive, Bell had a 42-yard catch on a play where he was held but fought through that and outran the coverage for a gain into Iowa's red zone. He also had catches of seven and eight yards on the key drive.
Purdue's offense picked up where it left off to begin the second half, as Bell had three catches on the opening drive of the third quarter. Plummer, though, underthrew Bell on a pass that Iowa intercepted in the red zone. The Hawkeyes took advantage of the turnover, capping a 9-play, 72-yard drive with Tyler Goodson's 1-yard touchdown rush, pushing the lead to 16-7.
Iowa added another field goal - its fourth of the game - to go up 19-7 in the third quarter.
Purdue needed a spark in the fourth quarter and the defense provided one with Dedrick Mackey's interception and 27-yard return led to a first-and-goal opportunity that resulted in J.D. Dellinger's 27-yard field goal.
With just under four minutes left in the game, Plummer connected with Bell for a 54-yard gain, which, coupled with a late-hit penalty on Plummer, moved the ball into the red zone on one play. The drive stalled at that point, and Dellinger's 36-yard field goal with 2:59 remaining cut Purdue's deficit to one possession at 19-13.
Iowa recovered the ensuing onside kick and a late-hit penalty gave Iowa the ball at the Purdue 35-yard line. Iowa's Mekhi Sargent ran for a 14-yard touchdown two plays later, giving the Hawkeyes a 26-13 lead with 2:16 remaining.
Purdue, though, didn't go away. Plummer led a 72-yard scoring drive over 1:52, culminating with Payne Durham's 1-yard touchdown catch with 24 seconds left.
The Hawkeyes subsequently recovered the second onside kick attempt to close out the win.
Purdue senior tight end Brycen Hopkins had five catches for 51 yards, while freshman Amad Anderson had two catches for 32 yards. Freshman running back King Doerue carried 10 times for 26 yards, also catching three passes for 16 yards.
Boilermaker freshman George Karlaftis had a sack, his fifth of the season. Derrick Barnes had eight tackles, while Ben Holt, Navon Mosley and Brennan Thieneman each had seven stops.
Purdue hosts Illinois on Oct. 26. Kickoff is set for noon ET at Ross-Ade Stadium.