Purdue football at Minnesota: 1st and 10 : Notes From The Indy Star

[Iceland12]

▶ Expect Jeff Brohm to utter the words “game-time decision” for Aidan O’Connell, King Doerue, Reese Taylor, Cam Craig and Broc Thompson. Don’t be surprised if Brohm doesn’t offer any clarity.

▶ Can the Boilermakers expect similar success on the ground they had against Florida Atlantic? Probably not. Purdue rushed for 188 yards, but the Owls aren’t a Big Ten defense. The Gophers are allowing 61.8 rushing yards through four games and limited Michigan State to 38 yards. Minnesota is one of two teams not to give up a rushing touchdown this season. Iowa is the other team.

▶ Quarterback Tanner Morgan has owned Purdue’s defense. In four games, he’s completed 66.7% of his passes for 968 yards with six touchdowns and one interception, which happened in 2018.

▶ Although the Gophers lost top receiver Chris Autman-Bell, Morgan connected with 10 different players in the win over Michigan State. Excellent balance by Morgan and the offense to spread the ball around.

▶ Will see improved play from Purdue’s cornerbacks? This position has struggled during the first four games and now will be severely tested by Minnesota’s RPO game. The tackling from the secondary has been lacking as well.

▶ How will the Gophers try to take away Charlie Jones? No one has found the right formula through four games as Jones leads the nation in receptions per game (10.3), is tied for the top spot with seven touchdowns and is third averaging 133.3 yards per game.

▶ Is Purdue’s defense up to the challenge of slowing Minnesota’s running game? The Gophers lead the Big Ten averaging 294.5 yards, but three games were against cupcakes. Still, they rolled up 240 yards on the ground against Michigan State on Saturday. Mohamed Ibrahim has gained at least 100 yards in 12 straight games. He’s rushed for102 and 155 yards in two games against the Boilermakers.

▶ If O’Connell returns, would Brohm consider using Austin Burton for a series or two, similar to what happened last year at Iowa? And if O’Connell isn’t back for this week, will Brohm play Michael Alaimo again? Alaimo played one series against FAU.

▶ Based on its performance at MSU and the upcoming schedule, Minnesota is the favorite to win the Big Ten West. Along with the Spartans, the Gophers’ cross-over games are Penn State (road) and Rutgers (home). They host Iowa and travel to Wisconsin to end the season. They also have road games at Illinois and Nebraska. It's manageable.

▶ Is the year Purdue finally wins at Minnesota? Since its new stadium opened in 2009, the Boilermakers are 0-6 at TCF Bank Stadium and now Huntington Bank Stadium. In those six meetings, the Gophers have scored 35, 44, 39, 44, 41 and 34 points. Since 2008, Purdue is 3-10 against Minnesota regardless of the location.

Purdue football at Minnesota: 1st and 10

The Boilermakers are 0-6 at Minnesota since 2009

www.indystar.com

 

[BilldGopher]

As I showed in another thread, Purdue owned us during Mason's tenure. Nice to see the turnaround since then.

 

[1983]

Purdue will be 0-7. This will not be an upset. Not going to be 42-7, it will be 35 17 us. I remember the dump days when they won year after year.

 

[Panthadad2]

As I showed in another thread, Purdue owned us during Mason's tenure. Nice to see the turnaround since then.

One of my worst Dome memories was a loss vs. Purdue. The game where the Gophs were up by 3 very late. Purdue gets the ball back near their own 5 yard line with 19 seconds left and no timeouts. They manage to advance the ball about 60-65 yards in 19 seconds and kick a long field goal to tie it as time expires (controversy over getting the snap off in time). In OT on 4th down for MN, a Gopher receiver catches the ball about a yard inside the endzone for a TD but the ref calls him out of bounds because he mistook the field coloring for the endzone boundary. Crushing.

 

[noamfromm]

Purdue will be 0-7. This will not be an upset. Not going to be 42-7, it will be 35 17 us. I remember the dump days when they won year after year.

You're right about not being 42-7. I'm seeing 52-10.

 

[Dakota2]

One of my worst Dome memories was a loss vs. Purdue. The game where the Gophs were up by 3 very late. Purdue gets the ball back near their own 5 yard line with 19 seconds left and no timeouts. They manage to advance the ball about 60-65 yards in 19 seconds and kick a long field goal to tie it as time expires (controversy over getting the snap off in time). In OT on 4th down for MN, a Gopher receiver catches the ball about a yard inside the endzone for a TD but the ref calls him out of bounds because he mistook the field coloring for the endzone boundary. Crushing.

I can guarantee you that kick did not get off in time. It was right in front of me. Also, the official clock was botched two or three times on the last 19-second drive. In reality they used 25 seconds on the clock.

 

[Nomellini]

One of my worst Dome memories was a loss vs. Purdue. The game where the Gophs were up by 3 very late. Purdue gets the ball back near their own 5 yard line with 19 seconds left and no timeouts. They manage to advance the ball about 60-65 yards in 19 seconds and kick a long field goal to tie it as time expires (controversy over getting the snap off in time). In OT on 4th down for MN, a Gopher receiver catches the ball about a yard inside the endzone for a TD but the ref calls him out of bounds because he mistook the field coloring for the endzone boundary. Crushing.

2001. That game was the first time I noticed how this kid named Marion Barber III finished his runs. On their last possession the Gophers were trying to kill the clock. Barber single-handedly picked up 3 first downs with angry runs. They could not get a 4th. "Crushing" is a good describer.

 

[#2Gopher]

One guy to watch is Charlie Jones. Much hype for him and we'll have to see how that one plays out.

 

[RememberMurray]

It will be interesting to see what Rossi dials up for Purdue.

 

[Plato]

In the Mason era of good offense and bad defense, the MN/Purdue game was always one to bet the over.
I saw the Purdue FAU game on the BTN and MN should win going away no matter who Purdue's QB is.

 

[Governor Sibley]

Purdue was moving the ball down the field before throwing a game-ending interception last year. Let's not get too cocky here.

 

[noamfromm]

One guy to watch is Charlie Jones. Much hype for him and we'll have to see how that one plays out.

Hype seems legit. Quite the indictment on Iowa that they just used him in the punt return game.

 

[noamfromm]

Purdue was moving the ball down the field before throwing a game-ending interception last year. Let's not get too cocky here.

Now that you bring it up this game has ended in game ending interceptions 4 times in the last 10 years. '14, '20, '21 for the Gophers. '17 for Purdue.

 

[watertown 1987 guy n]

Strange but Purdue and Illinois concern me more than Wisconsin and Iowa.

 

[Replacement Gopher]

One of my worst Dome memories was a loss vs. Purdue. The game where the Gophs were up by 3 very late. Purdue gets the ball back near their own 5 yard line with 19 seconds left and no timeouts. They manage to advance the ball about 60-65 yards in 19 seconds and kick a long field goal to tie it as time expires (controversy over getting the snap off in time). In OT on 4th down for MN, a Gopher receiver catches the ball about a yard inside the endzone for a TD but the ref calls him out of bounds because he mistook the field coloring for the endzone boundary. Crushing.

So many heart-breakers, but this one is right up there.
How they got that kick off in time despite being in our house with our clock operator is beyond me.

 

[The SF Rock]

The concern is always the next game. We will stomp the life out of Pursue. 42-10. They might get 10.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Purdue was moving the ball down the field before throwing a game-ending interception last year. Let's not get too cocky here.

Question - does the 2022 offense look anything like the 2021 offense to you? Lot of similarities in the defense....the one that held Purdue to 13 points last year but there is no comparison between the 2021 offense and the 2022 version.

A much more valid game to look at would be 2019 when we were up 38-17 going into the 4th quarter on the road.

The bottom line is if we play well on Saturday Purdue can't beat us. I know saying things like that terrifies Gopher fans but our best vs. their best = Gopher Victory. Anything can happen if we make mistakes or play sloppy but if the team that has shown up through 4 weeks this year comes to play on Saturday this game probably won't be close.

 

[Thomasthetank]

So many heart-breakers, but this one is right up there.
How they got that kick off in time despite being in our house with our clock operator is beyond me.

The dome will forever be a house of horrors for Gopher fans: Ohio St 89, Utah 90, WI 91, WI 99, NW 2000, Purdue 01, MI 03, WI 05, NW 08

So many heartbreaking losses that appeared to be Gopher wins

 

[Schnauzer]

The dome will forever be a house of horrors for Gopher fans: Ohio St 89, Utah 90, WI 91, WI 99, NW 2000, Purdue 01, MI 03, WI 05, NW 08

So many heartbreaking losses that appeared to be Gopher wins

Is it sad, or is it impressive that I can think of the specific back breaking plays from each team/year that you list?

It was a house of horrors.

 

[JimmyJamesMD]

I can guarantee you that kick did not get off in time. It was right in front of me. Also, the official clock was botched two or three times on the last 19-second drive. In reality they used 25 seconds on the clock.

some home field advanatage

 

[mngolf]

If AOC plays, they will score maybe 17. But they won't be able to stop MN. Gophers score at least 32 and if AOC doesn't play PU scores no more than 10 and MN scores 40.

 

[Panthadad2]

The dome will forever be a house of horrors for Gopher fans: Ohio St 89, Utah 90, WI 91, WI 99, NW 2000, Purdue 01, MI 03, WI 05, NW 08

So many heartbreaking losses that appeared to be Gopher wins

Happy to be out of country for the first three and oblivious (saving me a little mental anguish). Personally witnessed the rest, though I either mentally blocked out NW 08 or wasn't there; I can't remember even after seeing the box score.

 

[noamfromm]

Strange but Purdue and Illinois concern me more than Wisconsin and Iowa.

I'm with you regarding you concern Illinois. Purdue's middling defense, and then their starting running back and quarterback being out doesn't concern me.

 

[FanSinceTheFifties]

The dome will forever be a house of horrors for Gopher fans: Ohio St 89, Utah 90, WI 91, WI 99, NW 2000, Purdue 01, MI 03, WI 05, NW 08

So many heartbreaking losses that appeared to be Gopher wins

Yes, but I loved the Dome. Warm, dry, paid for. When it was abandoned, it was the youngest BiG stadium. I know it's de rigueur to denounce the Dome, but this codger liked it.

 

[MNVCGUY]

I'm with you regarding you concern Illinois. Purdue's middling defense, and then their starting running back and quarterback being out doesn't concern me.

I think the next 2 weeks will tell us everything we need to know about Illinois. They are getting built up pretty good around here but I feel like some of that may be premature. They play Wisconsin on the road and then Iowa at home before we play them.

Regardless of how good they may or may not be, we will be coming off a bye week and they will be coming off two difficult conference games. That should definitely play in our favor.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Yes, but I loved the Dome. Warm, dry, paid for. When it was abandoned, it was the youngest BiG stadium. I know it's de rigueur to denounce the Dome, but this codger liked it.

The Dome had a few perks but it was a horrible venue for college football. Very sterile with the blue seats and minimal college related decoration of any kind.

The Dome was great when the weather was bad, but it sucked to have to go in there when it was nice outside.

 

[noamfromm]

I think the next 2 weeks will tell us everything we need to know about Illinois. They are getting built up pretty good around here but I feel like some of that may be premature. They play Wisconsin on the road and then Iowa at home before we play them.

Regardless of how good they may or may not be, we will be coming off a bye week and they will be coming off two difficult conference games. That should definitely play in our favor.

Agreed and the timing of the game for both teams. I've got a couple wagers out that they beat Wisconsin this weekend -- if they can somehow win both that game in Champaign would make for some buildup

 

[Schnauzer]

Yes, but I loved the Dome. Warm, dry, paid for. When it was abandoned, it was the youngest BiG stadium. I know it's de rigueur to denounce the Dome, but this codger liked it.

To each their own. Some people really like gold vinyl signage velcro attached over deep blue backgrounds, seas of blue seats, the band echoing around the room to the level it is hard to tell what they are playing, tractor pulls in session when showing recruits the stadium atmosphere, moving games to Fridays to accommodate baseball, and most notable of all: that sound one's pee made as it sprayed against that stainless steel.

For me, I was really happy to have the team move to its own on campus stadium.

 

[FireDaveLee]

During the Wacker years, the Gophers-Boilermaker games were crazy. '93 was the Scott Ekers & Omar Douglas show, with 6 TD passes, 5 to Omar. '94 was a loss, but Darkins had a big day. And '95, Darkins ran for just under 300 in a 39-38 win, with the Gophs hitting a 2 point conversion & Purdue missing a game winning FG.

Could be an entertaining game. Only question I have is if we win, what excuse will be used this year: '18 & '21 (Weather); '19 & '20 (Officiating)

 

[GopherTheJugular]

though I either mentally blocked out NW 08 or wasn't there; I can't remember even after seeing the box score.

I *think* it was the game where we only had one loss (tOSU) and otherwise we were all excited about Brewster's potential with us sitting at 6-1 and then Decker gets hurt in this game and the wheels fell off.

I could be mistaken though,