MINNEAPOLIS – Purdue's defense intercepted three passes, while the offense rushed for 160 yards and two scores to pull off a 20-10 win over No. 21 Minnesota on Saturday afternoon at Huntington Bank Stadium. The Boilermakers moved to 3-2 on the year and 1-1 in Big Ten play with their first win in Minneapolis since 2007.
Purdue's defense stymied Minnesota (4-1, 1-1) all afternoon long with a trio of interceptions, seven tackles-for-loss, two sacks and six pass breakups. Safety Cam Allen delivered a pair of momentum swings with an end zone interception in the second quarter, before the game-sealing pick late in the final frame.
Facing an offense that averaged 294.5 yards rushing over its first four games, the Boilermakers were stout defensively, limiting the Golden Gophers to just 47 yards rushing. It was the first time Purdue held a team to 50 or fewer rushing yards since 2017 when Nebraska recorded 40 yards on the ground.
Linebacker Semisi Fakasiieiki led the way defensively with eight stops, including a pair behind the line. Seven different Boilermakers contributed to a tackle-for-loss. Linebacker Kydran Jenkins added 1.5 sacks, his second game this year with more than one sack.
Purdue's defense allowed just three points off three giveaways on Saturday.
The Boilermakers jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. Running back Dylan Downing pounded his way into the end zone for a two-yard touchdown to start the scoring. Mitchell Fineran later added a season-long 43-yard field goal. The defense meanwhile stood tall on Minnesota's opening four drives, forcing a three-and-out, interception by Jacob Wahlberg,
After Minnesota battled back to tie the game at 10-10 in the third, Purdue's offense found its rhythm in the fourth. Fineran put the Boilermakers back in front with a 25-yard field goal with 4:57 to play. The Boilermakers made it a 10-point gap when redshirt Devin Mockobee found the end zone with 3:13 left on a two-yard rush, following a career-long 68-yard carry.
Mockobee finished with his career day with 112 yards on 11 carries with one score. Downing chipped in 32 yards on 10 rushes.
Quarterback Aidan O'Connell made his return to the lineup after missing the game against FAU. The sixth-year thrower was 27-of-40 for 199 yards with no touchdowns and a pair of interceptions.
RACKING UP RANKED WINS
Saturday marked Purdue's sixth win over a ranked team in the Jeff Brohm era. Five of those six victories handed the opponent its first loss of the season. Prior to Brohm's arrival in West Lafayette in 2017, Purdue only won two out of 27 games against AP-ranked teams over the previous 10 seasons. In its last four matchups with an AP-ranked opponent, Purdue has won three. Five of Brohm's six ranked wins have been by 10 points or more.
STANDING TALL
Purdue's defense held firm against one of the nation's top offenses early this season, keeping the Golden Gophers below their season averages.
• Third in total offense at 543 yards per game – Saturday total: 304 yards of total offense
• Second in rushing offense with 294.5 yards per game – Saturday total: 47 yards rushing
• Eleventh in scoring offense with 45.8 points per game – Saturday total: 10 points
• First in first downs per game with 31.5 – Saturday total: 14 first downs
• Fifteenth in red zone offense at 95.8% - Saturday total: 33.3% (1-3)
NOTES
• Purdue trails the all-time series against Minnesota 34-41-3.
• The Boilermakers have gotten off to strong starts this season, outscoring opponents 47-3 in the first quarter
• Purdue's defense has not allowed a score on an opponent's first drive this season.
• Kicker Mitchell Fineran is now 4-for-6 on the year and 28-of-35 as a Boilermaker.
• Purdue has scored a touchdown on three of its five game-opening drives.
• Allen now has 10 career interceptions, while Wahlberg recorded his second.
• Allen is the first Boilermaker to have two interceptions in a game since Jalen Graham did it against Nebraska last season (10/30/2021). Allen did it once last season as well, when Purdue upset #2 Iowa (10/16/21).
• The Purdue defense denied Minnesota in both of their first half red zone opportunities, forcing a missed field goal and an interception. Minnesota had only been denied in the red zone once this season prior to Saturday's game.
UP NEXT
Purdue will play the second of three road games in October next Saturday at Maryland. Kickoff is slated for noon on BTN.