LINCOLN, Neb. – Behind a stout defensive performance in the second half and forcing four turnovers, the Purdue football team picked up a 28-23 win on the road at Nebraska on Saturday afternoon. Quarterback Aidan O'Connell threw two touchdown passes in the win.
The Boilermakers (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) hounded the Nebraska (3-6, 1-5) offense, holding the hosts to just 162 yards and forcing three interceptions in the second half. Purdue intercepted four passes for the second time in three games and held the Cornhuskers to just 36 yards through most of the second half.
O'Connell was 34-of-45 passing with two touchdowns. The offense finished with 349 yards, including 116 on the ground.
The second quarter saw a flurry of action on the scoreboard. Early in the period with Nebraska on its own 44-yard line, Jalen Graham stepped in front of an Adrian Martinez pass and took it all the way back to the endzone to tie it up at 7-7.
Nebraska countered on the ensuing 75-yard drive with a touchdown to retake a 14-7 lead, before Aidan O'Connell marched the Boilermakers down the field on a 14-play, 75-yard touchdown drive capped off by a Zander Horvath 1-yard scoring run.
Again, the Cornhuskers pushed the ball down the field, but the Boilermaker defense held stout and forced a 33-yard field that gave the hosts a 17-14 lead at the break.
After Graham's second interception of the game in the third, O'Connell found Milton Wright for a three-yard touchdown pass to give Purdue its first lead of the day at 21-17 with 2:47 left in the quarter. Purdue added to the lead in the fourth when O'Connell hit Jackson Anthrop for a 9-yard strike to make it 28-17.
The Cornhuskers cut into the lead with 1:44 to play on a 12-yard touchdown pass by Martinez to make it 28-23. The defense prevented Nebraska from converting a two-point conversion, and Payne Durham pounced on the ensuing onside kick attempt to seal the victory.
THE GROUND GAME
The Boilermakers placed an emphasis on the ground game and rushed 41 times for 116 yards, the second game over 100 yards on the year. The total was the second-most attempts by Purdue this season, one shy of the team's season high. Zander Horvath picked up 24 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown, while Jackson Anthrop ran for a career-high 27 yards on five rushes.
PICK CITY
The Boilermakers intercepted four passes on the afternoon. Jalen Graham finished the day with two interceptions, the firsts of his career. His pick-six was Purdue's first since 2019 when Cory Trice housed an interception against Maryland. Cam Allen had his fourth interception of the year and seventh of his career, while Chris Jefferson notched his first as a Boilermaker and 14th of his career.
NOTES
• Purdue had four interceptions for the second time in three games.
• The Boilermakers are 5-5 all-time against the Cornhuskers, including the last three and four of five.
• Aidan O'Connell was 34-of-45 for 233 yards with two touchdowns, one completion shy of tying a career high
• Along with its four interceptions, the defense had 50 tackles, four tackles for loss and one sack
UP NEXT
Purdue returns to Ross-Ade Stadium to face Michigan State next Saturday. Kickoff time will be announced early this week.
Purdue Takes Down Nebraska on the Road, 28-23
<br /><br />A stout defensive performance, with four interceptions, guided Purdue to a 28-23 victory at Nebraska on Saturday afternoon.