Buckeye Rosters

Recap

West Lafayette, IN — In a much-anticipated showdown of Big Ten title hopefuls, the host Boilermakers emerged with a 31-27 victory over the Buckeyes.

Purdue quarterback Drew Brees was at his All-America best, throwing for 455 yard and three touchdowns. All three of Brees’ scoring tosses came in the fourth quarter, including a 64-yard bomb with 1:55 to play that wiped out an improbable 27-24 OSU lead.

The game began as a defensive struggle, with neither team scoring in the first quarter and Purdue clinging to a scant 7-3 lead at the half. But both teams turned it up a notch in the second half.

Purdue opened the half with a 34-yard field goal and led 10-3 with 12:40 to play in the third period. The Buckeyes responded by scoring 17 unanswered points and taking a 20-10 lead into the final stanza. Nate Clements‘ electrifying 83-yard punt return for a touchdown capped off the OSU rally.

Purdue, however, reclaimed the lead thanks to Brees’ first two touchdown passes. And the Boilers seemed to have the game in hand until Brees, pressured by OSU linebacker Joe Cooper, threw his fourth interception of the day. This one, picked off by strong safety Mike Doss, was returned to the Purdue 2-yard line. When Jerry Westbrooks swept right end, the Buckeyes led 27-24 with 2:16 to play.

But the Buckeyes’ exhilaration lasted just 21 seconds. That’s all the time it took Brees to threw his third TD of the day and turn apparent defeat into victory for the Boilers.

Dan Stultz kicked career field goals No. 50 and 51 for the Buckeyes to become the school’s all-time leader in field goals made.