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    • Purdue Football falls to Illinois 50-49 in overtime
    Albany

    Purdue Football falls to Illinois 50-49 in overtime

    Madoc Meredith Posted on

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    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Purdue football’s strong surge failed in overtime, but it may have changed the course of the Boilermakers’ season.

    Purdue took Illinois to overtime after trailing by 24 points early in the second half. Ryan Walters went for 2, trailing 50-49, after the Illini scored on their first possession. But quarterback Ryan Browne was sacked and the Illini stormed the field to celebrate the four-game losing streak in the Purdue Cannon Series.

    Ryan Browne’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Devin Mockobee with 46 seconds left gave the Boilermakers one of their first leads of the season. Browne’s 2-point pass to Jahmal Edrine made it 43:40. Illinois came down and scored on a 38-yard field goal from David Olano as time expired, sending the game into overtime.

    Walters took over the offensive play and redshirt freshman quarterback Browne started for the first time in his career in place of the injured Hudson Card. That combination brought the offense to life in the second half and nearly gave the Boilermakers their most exciting win in years.

    When Illinois took a 40-28 lead with 5:05 left, it seemed like Purdue’s best half of football of the season would fall just short. However, Browne led a touchdown drive with 1:38 to play, capped by Mockobee’s catch. Purdue then recovered Ben Freehill’s onside kick. Three plays later, Browne and Mockobee connected again on a wheel route for the go-ahead touchdown.

    How Purdue’s second win of the season – and one of the most exciting in years – unfolded.

    Crashing into halftime

    At worst, Purdue had a chance to stay within one score to end the half. Instead, it gave the Illini nearly a three-point lead.

    Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer orchestrated an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive for a 17-3 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Purdue returner Elijah Jackson simply dropped the ball onto the turf. It bounced off him and Illinois recovered at the Boilermaker 25.

    Will Heldt’s sack of Altmyer in the second seemed to stop the bleeding and possibly force a long field goal attempt. But on third-and-20, Zakhari Franklin beat cornerback Nyland Green for a 27-yard gain through the air. Two plays later, Josh McCray threw a short pass.

    It was the second major special teams faux pas in as many weeks, after Dillon Thieneman’s muffed punt return set up a Wisconsin touchdown. Every facet of the team contributed to Purdue’s established identity under Walters – as part of a team that is constantly playing in the background.

    Midway through the third quarter, Purdue finally discovered the complementary football it had longed for throughout its losing streak. Browne and Jahmal Edrine connected for a 53-yard touchdown pass. On the following series, Green sacked Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer and Will Heldt ran him back 16 yards for a touchdown.

    Browne’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Jaron Tibbs – and a 2-point conversion pass to Max Klare – put Purdue up 34-28 with 10:31 to play. Illinois responded with a 75-yard touchdown drive to stay ahead by 12 yards.

    Browne provides sparks

    Browne was making his first career start, although he played frequently in a loss at Northwestern last season. The offense moved the ball early thanks to his rushing ability – both on the balls called upon him and on some nifty attacks.

    Browne averaged 7.4 sack-adjusted rushing yards per carry in the first half. The problem was that other than a single long run from Devin Mockobee, no other aspect of the offense was working. Purdue also lost explosive plays on each of its first two drives, as it held a call and receiver Leland Smith dropped a deep pass.

    Browne finished the first half with just 9 yards. However, midway through the third quarter, he scored from 19 yards to Tibbs on third-and-9 and threw an explosive touchdown pass to Edrine on the next play.

    Browne completed 18 of 26 passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns and also rushed for 118 yards.

    First and moan

    Last week at Wisconsin, Purdue hit the ball on first and before goal twice. Both times those possessions ended in field goals, ending any chance of early momentum.

    The same thing happened on Saturday.

    Trailing 10-3, the Boilermakers overcame false starts in the third and second periods and converted near midfield in the third. Then Mockobee broke off a 34-yard run from the Illini 4.

    However, another pre-snap penalty pushed Purdue back 5 yards. Brown’s third-down pass to Klare gained just one yard, and Spencer Porath was subbed in for a 22-yard field goal.

    Purdue entered the game with a nation-worst average of 3.3 points per game against FBS opponents. On Saturday they underperformed and were down 24-3 at halftime.

    A reverse flea-flicker late in the third quarter put the Boilermakers ahead again, trailing 27-17. Again, a pre-snap penalty complicated matters and the ball didn’t get further than the 6.

    On the other hand, Purdue seemed to be shrinking in recent weeks after such misfortunes. Walters said as much himself at halftime, telling the radio show: “It’s the same thing. The game is getting close and we’re starting to do some stupid things.”

    The Boilermakers showed a new resilience in the second half – one the program needs to advance to even tougher battles.

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    Madoc Meredith
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