ANN ARBOR, Mich. – An early deficit proved too much for the Purdue football team to overcome as the Boilermakers dropped a 41-13 decision to No. 3 Michigan on Saturday night.
Kydran Jenkins and Nic Scourton made their usual stops in the backfield with three of Purdue's five tackles-for-loss. Scourton notched a career-high two quarterback sacks. Botros Alisandro paced Purdue on the defensive end with seven tackles, including six solo.
Quarterback Hudson Card finished the game 12-of-28 for 144 yards and one touchdown. Deion Burks and Mershawn Rice matched each other with a team-high 43 yards receiving. Burks hit his mark on three receptions with one score, while Rice hauled in a career-long 43-yard reception before having to leave the game with an injury.
Purdue (2-7, 1-5 B1G) fell behind 17-0 after Michigan (9-0, 6-0 B1G) scored on its opening three drives of the first quarter. The Boilermakers' defense stopped the Wolverines on two of their next three drives, including a 4th-down stop at the Michigan 34-yard line.
As the defense found its footing in the second quarter, the Boilermakers cut into a 20-point gap when kicker Ben Freehill hit from 32 and 31 yards on Purdue's last two drives of the first half to go into the locker room down 20-6.
Purdue added to its tally late when Card hit Burks for a 24-yard touchdown completion with less than a minute to play in the fourth, the team-leading sixth connection for a score this season.
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy threw for 335 yards on 24-of-37 passing with no scores, the first time the Wolverines failed to score through the air this season. Roman Wilson made nine catches for 143 yards. Running back Blake Corum found the end zone three times on 15 carries for 44 yards.
NOTES
• Michigan leads the all-time series with Purdue 47-14.
• For the second straight week, Purdue forced a turnover on special teams. Antonio Stevens recovered a muffed punt at the Michigan 34-yard line in the second quarter.
• The Boilermakers outscored Michigan 6-3 in the second quarter. It marked the second time this season the Wolverines were outscored in a second quarter and the fourth overall quarter.
• The Boilermakers' 13 points were the most scored against Michigan in a game this season.
• Botros Alisandro led the defense with a career-high seven tackles, six solo.
• Purdue outrushed Michigan 125-110, the first time Michigan was outgained on the ground this season.
UP NEXT
Purdue will return to Ross-Ade Stadium next Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff against Minnesota on NBC. The Boilermakers will play two of their final three games at home.