WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue surrendered a kickoff return touchdown for the first time in seven years and it sparked a comeback as Rutgers scored the final 17 points of the game Saturday to emerge victorious 37-30 in its first visit to Ross-Ade Stadium.
Momentum changers in the game included the second-half kickoff return and a first-half safety for the Boilermakers (2-3 B1G). Aron Cruickshank's 100-yard touchdown return at the 9:08 mark of the third quarter came moments after Purdue had gone up 30-20 on a touchdown reception by David Bell. The Scarlet Knights (2-4 B1G) went on to carry a 34-30 lead into the end of the third quarter.
The safety, via a sack by Branson Deen at the 12:05 mark, helped give the Boilermakers a 16-0 scoring edge in the second quarter and 23-13 halftime lead.
Zander Horvath ran for 101 yards on 19 carries and his second touchdown of the season. He also racked up 61 yards receiving on four catches. Bell's touchdown was his seventh of the season and 14th career, with both totals ranking among the leaders in the Purdue record book. However, the sophomore's four catches (on five targets) for 68 yards were his fewest receptions since having three Oct. 5 of last season at Penn State. Quarterback Jack Plummer threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for another, becoming the first Boilermaker with a rushing and passing touchdown in the same game since Elijah Sindelar in the 2019 home opener vs. Vanderbilt. Plummer finished the night with 237 yards passing, but none in the fourth quarter as Purdue ran only three offensive plays.
Rondale Moore recorded seven receptions for 76 yards on nine targets. He went over 3,000 career all-purpose yards while playing in just his 18th game as a Boilermaker.
Rutgers chewed up 9:38 of game clock with an 18-play drive that began at the 1:47 mark of the third quarter and culminated with a 28-yard field goal, which produced the game's final margin. The Scarlet Knights ran the ball on 15 of the 18 plays. Lorenzo Neal tackled the Rutgers quarterback for a one-yard loss on a third-and-goal play from the nine-yard line to force the field goal attempt. But Purdue went three and out on what proved to be its final possession.
The Scarlet Knights converted a fourth-and-one play via a six-yard rush from quarterback Johnny Langan at the Purdue 45-yard line with 3:11 remaining in the game. Rutgers was able to run the clock out with another first-down run.
Trailing by 10 points after generating only 64 yards of offense in the second quarter, Rutgers opened the second half with a much-needed scoring drive, punctuated by a big play from running back Kay'Ron Adams. He turned a short pass from Langan into a 62-yard touchdown reception.
Linebacker and leading tackler Derrick Barnes was ejected for a targeting foul on a tackle on RU's Matt Alaimo, enforced after an official video review. The Scarlet Knights scored two plays later after the 15-yard penalty moved the ball to the six-yard line. It was the visitors' first lead since 13-9 in the second quarter. Jaylan Alexander led the way with 10 tackles (seven solo) and Barnes had nine (all solo) prior to his ejection.
Cruickshank's 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was the first surrendered by the Boilermakers since a September 2013 loss to Northern Illinois.
BIG PLAYS
• Branson Deen sack in the end zone on third down at the 12:05 mark of the second quarter
• Zander Horvath 19-yard catch and run up the east sideline to set up first and goal at the two-yard line at 9:45 mark of second quarter
• Open-field tackle by Derrick Barnes on completed screen pass to Aaron Young on fourth and three play at the 50-yard line with 3:56 remaining in second quarter
• 18-yard touchdown pass from Jack Plummer to David Bell with 9:22 remaining in the third quarter
• 23-yard pass from Plummer to Rondale Moore on third and four with 8:45 remaining in the third quarter
• Lorenzo Neal sack on third and goal at the nine-yard line with 7:30 remaining in the fourth quarter
Purdue's first safety since the 2016 season finale at Indiana ignited the second-quarter surge. After the Boilermakers came up empty on a fourth-and-two pass play on the three-yard line, the defense responded with the big play to help flip the momentum. Deen delivered the third-down sack of Artur Sitkowski after Rutgers gambled with a pass play following two short rushes while backed up against its own goal line.
TJ Sheffield returned the ensuing free kick for 27 yards, giving Purdue excellent field position at the midfield stripe to begin its fourth drive of the night. Horvath's 19-yard catch and run up the east sideline was the key play of the quick eight-play scoring drive. The big running back made a nifty move to elude a tackle and the play set up a first and goal at the two-yard line. Horvath punched it in three plays later as the Boilermakers converted a third-and-goal play for the second time on the night.
Payne Durham scored the game's first touchdown, catching a one-yard pass from Jack Plummer on third down as Purdue opened the night with an efficient 10-play, 75-yard drive.
After combining for 22 receptions for 220 yards in last week's game at Minnesota, neither Moore nor Bell were officially targeted Saturday until there was 18 seconds remaining in the first quarter. But Moore had a big impact on the second-quarter rally this week. On third-down plays in the red zone, Moore contributed catches for 16 and 11 yards. With 1:48 remaining in the half, Purdue called a timeout before deciding to go for it again on fourth and one at the 16-yard line. Moore was openly lobbying head coach Jeff Brohm to go for it and call his number again. The junior got his wish and converted, running for five yards and a first down on a jet sweep. Moore appeared to score two plays later, but the ball was placed at the one-yard line after an official video review. Plummer scored on a QB sneak instead.
The Boilermakers forced an early turnover, but the interception by Simeon Smiley was negated by a roughing the passer penalty at the 4:04 mark of the first quarter. Rutgers capitalized as Sitkowski threw his second touchdown pass of the night to Shameen Jones in the northwest corner of the end zone.
Purdue's defense responded with an excellent second quarter, surrendering only 64 yards and three first downs. Half of those yards came on a nine-play drive that stalled out at midfield when Barnes made an excellent open-field tackle on Aaron Young to squash a screen pass on fourth and three.
Deen's first collegiate sack marked the second time this season the Purdue defense accounted for points. Jalen Graham returned a fumble for a touchdown at Illinois on Halloween.
Sheffield finished the night with 130 kickoff return yards, producing the first 100-yard return effort by a Boilermaker since Moore in November 2018.
Eight of the Boilermakers' last nine games, including all five this season, have been decided by seven points or less; they're 4-4 in those eight one-score contests.
Purdue return to action Saturday, Dec. 5 when it hosts Nebraska at noon ET.
Momentum changers in the game included the second-half kickoff return and a first-half safety for the Boilermakers (2-3 B1G). Aron Cruickshank's 100-yard touchdown return at the 9:08 mark of the third quarter came moments after Purdue had gone up 30-20 on a touchdown reception by David Bell. The Scarlet Knights (2-4 B1G) went on to carry a 34-30 lead into the end of the third quarter.
The safety, via a sack by Branson Deen at the 12:05 mark, helped give the Boilermakers a 16-0 scoring edge in the second quarter and 23-13 halftime lead.
Zander Horvath ran for 101 yards on 19 carries and his second touchdown of the season. He also racked up 61 yards receiving on four catches. Bell's touchdown was his seventh of the season and 14th career, with both totals ranking among the leaders in the Purdue record book. However, the sophomore's four catches (on five targets) for 68 yards were his fewest receptions since having three Oct. 5 of last season at Penn State. Quarterback Jack Plummer threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for another, becoming the first Boilermaker with a rushing and passing touchdown in the same game since Elijah Sindelar in the 2019 home opener vs. Vanderbilt. Plummer finished the night with 237 yards passing, but none in the fourth quarter as Purdue ran only three offensive plays.
Rondale Moore recorded seven receptions for 76 yards on nine targets. He went over 3,000 career all-purpose yards while playing in just his 18th game as a Boilermaker.
Rutgers chewed up 9:38 of game clock with an 18-play drive that began at the 1:47 mark of the third quarter and culminated with a 28-yard field goal, which produced the game's final margin. The Scarlet Knights ran the ball on 15 of the 18 plays. Lorenzo Neal tackled the Rutgers quarterback for a one-yard loss on a third-and-goal play from the nine-yard line to force the field goal attempt. But Purdue went three and out on what proved to be its final possession.
The Scarlet Knights converted a fourth-and-one play via a six-yard rush from quarterback Johnny Langan at the Purdue 45-yard line with 3:11 remaining in the game. Rutgers was able to run the clock out with another first-down run.
Trailing by 10 points after generating only 64 yards of offense in the second quarter, Rutgers opened the second half with a much-needed scoring drive, punctuated by a big play from running back Kay'Ron Adams. He turned a short pass from Langan into a 62-yard touchdown reception.
Linebacker and leading tackler Derrick Barnes was ejected for a targeting foul on a tackle on RU's Matt Alaimo, enforced after an official video review. The Scarlet Knights scored two plays later after the 15-yard penalty moved the ball to the six-yard line. It was the visitors' first lead since 13-9 in the second quarter. Jaylan Alexander led the way with 10 tackles (seven solo) and Barnes had nine (all solo) prior to his ejection.
Cruickshank's 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was the first surrendered by the Boilermakers since a September 2013 loss to Northern Illinois.
BIG PLAYS
• Branson Deen sack in the end zone on third down at the 12:05 mark of the second quarter
• Zander Horvath 19-yard catch and run up the east sideline to set up first and goal at the two-yard line at 9:45 mark of second quarter
• Open-field tackle by Derrick Barnes on completed screen pass to Aaron Young on fourth and three play at the 50-yard line with 3:56 remaining in second quarter
• 18-yard touchdown pass from Jack Plummer to David Bell with 9:22 remaining in the third quarter
• 23-yard pass from Plummer to Rondale Moore on third and four with 8:45 remaining in the third quarter
• Lorenzo Neal sack on third and goal at the nine-yard line with 7:30 remaining in the fourth quarter
Purdue's first safety since the 2016 season finale at Indiana ignited the second-quarter surge. After the Boilermakers came up empty on a fourth-and-two pass play on the three-yard line, the defense responded with the big play to help flip the momentum. Deen delivered the third-down sack of Artur Sitkowski after Rutgers gambled with a pass play following two short rushes while backed up against its own goal line.
TJ Sheffield returned the ensuing free kick for 27 yards, giving Purdue excellent field position at the midfield stripe to begin its fourth drive of the night. Horvath's 19-yard catch and run up the east sideline was the key play of the quick eight-play scoring drive. The big running back made a nifty move to elude a tackle and the play set up a first and goal at the two-yard line. Horvath punched it in three plays later as the Boilermakers converted a third-and-goal play for the second time on the night.
Payne Durham scored the game's first touchdown, catching a one-yard pass from Jack Plummer on third down as Purdue opened the night with an efficient 10-play, 75-yard drive.
After combining for 22 receptions for 220 yards in last week's game at Minnesota, neither Moore nor Bell were officially targeted Saturday until there was 18 seconds remaining in the first quarter. But Moore had a big impact on the second-quarter rally this week. On third-down plays in the red zone, Moore contributed catches for 16 and 11 yards. With 1:48 remaining in the half, Purdue called a timeout before deciding to go for it again on fourth and one at the 16-yard line. Moore was openly lobbying head coach Jeff Brohm to go for it and call his number again. The junior got his wish and converted, running for five yards and a first down on a jet sweep. Moore appeared to score two plays later, but the ball was placed at the one-yard line after an official video review. Plummer scored on a QB sneak instead.
The Boilermakers forced an early turnover, but the interception by Simeon Smiley was negated by a roughing the passer penalty at the 4:04 mark of the first quarter. Rutgers capitalized as Sitkowski threw his second touchdown pass of the night to Shameen Jones in the northwest corner of the end zone.
Purdue's defense responded with an excellent second quarter, surrendering only 64 yards and three first downs. Half of those yards came on a nine-play drive that stalled out at midfield when Barnes made an excellent open-field tackle on Aaron Young to squash a screen pass on fourth and three.
Deen's first collegiate sack marked the second time this season the Purdue defense accounted for points. Jalen Graham returned a fumble for a touchdown at Illinois on Halloween.
Sheffield finished the night with 130 kickoff return yards, producing the first 100-yard return effort by a Boilermaker since Moore in November 2018.
Eight of the Boilermakers' last nine games, including all five this season, have been decided by seven points or less; they're 4-4 in those eight one-score contests.
Purdue return to action Saturday, Dec. 5 when it hosts Nebraska at noon ET.