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Having the ball in the final minutes with a chance to beat a bowl-bound opponent on the road is a step forward for Purdue. Yet it can't be argued its lack of ability to capitalize on second-half opportunities has become a trend. The Boilermakers also led 14-10 at halftime at Nebraska and were tied 17-17 with Penn State but were essentially non-factors in those second halves.
"I don't really know exactly why, I don't know if anyone knows why, but it's definitely a problem we need to fix right now," said senior receiver Cameron Posey, who totaled 128 yards on seven receptions.
Even the manner in which Purdue took a 28-23 halftime lead hinted at a turnaround in both execution and good fortune.
The Boilermakers punted to Minnesota with 15 seconds remaining in the first half. The Gophers, who had one timeout remaining, could have kneeled out the clock.
Instead, quarterback Mitch Leidner passed downfield to a receiver who never turned around. Purdue cornerback Antonio Blackmon swooped in to intercept the pass and returned it to the Gophers 2. Parker sent the offense out rather than kicking a field goal.
Blough rolled out to his right, lofted an easy pass to tight end Brycen Hopkins, and the Boilermakers regained the lead.
At that point in the game, Blough had completed 12-of-15 passes for 231 yards and four touchdowns. He'd struck for long touchdowns to Posey (a career-long 89 yards) and DeAngelo Yancey (60 yards, his third of that length or longer in the past three weeks). Despite that early failed fourth-and-1, the Boilermakers were aggressive and sharp offensively, setting a tone via the passing game.
For the third straight week, Purdue could not sustain that success, and the downfall began with another turnover.
On the opening series of the second half, Blough passed over the middle to tight end Cole Herdman. Minnesota safety Duke McGhee, in coverage on the play, pulled the ball off Herdman's hip and secured it on the way to the ground. The original call of a completion was overturned on review, and Minnesota took over at the Purdue 42.
Six plays later, Rodney Smith walked in from 7 yards out to give the Golden Gophers the lead for good, 30-28. Minnesota turned another turnover, a Blough fumble, into a 7-yard touchdown run by Leidner early in the fourth quarter.
In between, the offense sputtered, totaling 49 yards on 15 plays in the third quarter. When Jones exited, Minnesota began ramping up its pressure. It sacked Blough six times — four in the second half — and recorded 12 total tackles for loss.
"They brought pressure, I would argue to say, maybe 90 percent of the time," Parker said. "We're short-handed there up front, and that youth showed the second half."
Purdue's Jake Replogle started at defensive tackle for his first action since missing the past three games with a head injury. But the senior captain left the game in the second quarter and did not return. Purdue moved end Evan Panfil back to defensive tackle for the rest of the game as it had the previous week against Penn State.
Minnesota played without Shannon Brooks, who rushed for 176 yards against Purdue last season, due to an undisclosed injury. Rodney Smith dominated carries in his place and rushed for 153 yards and three touchdowns. The final one came with 1:30 to play, after the failed fourth-and-inches.
http://www.indystar.com/story/sport...urdue-football-cant-close-minnesota/93242418/
"I don't really know exactly why, I don't know if anyone knows why, but it's definitely a problem we need to fix right now," said senior receiver Cameron Posey, who totaled 128 yards on seven receptions.
Even the manner in which Purdue took a 28-23 halftime lead hinted at a turnaround in both execution and good fortune.
The Boilermakers punted to Minnesota with 15 seconds remaining in the first half. The Gophers, who had one timeout remaining, could have kneeled out the clock.
Instead, quarterback Mitch Leidner passed downfield to a receiver who never turned around. Purdue cornerback Antonio Blackmon swooped in to intercept the pass and returned it to the Gophers 2. Parker sent the offense out rather than kicking a field goal.
Blough rolled out to his right, lofted an easy pass to tight end Brycen Hopkins, and the Boilermakers regained the lead.
At that point in the game, Blough had completed 12-of-15 passes for 231 yards and four touchdowns. He'd struck for long touchdowns to Posey (a career-long 89 yards) and DeAngelo Yancey (60 yards, his third of that length or longer in the past three weeks). Despite that early failed fourth-and-1, the Boilermakers were aggressive and sharp offensively, setting a tone via the passing game.
For the third straight week, Purdue could not sustain that success, and the downfall began with another turnover.
On the opening series of the second half, Blough passed over the middle to tight end Cole Herdman. Minnesota safety Duke McGhee, in coverage on the play, pulled the ball off Herdman's hip and secured it on the way to the ground. The original call of a completion was overturned on review, and Minnesota took over at the Purdue 42.
Six plays later, Rodney Smith walked in from 7 yards out to give the Golden Gophers the lead for good, 30-28. Minnesota turned another turnover, a Blough fumble, into a 7-yard touchdown run by Leidner early in the fourth quarter.
In between, the offense sputtered, totaling 49 yards on 15 plays in the third quarter. When Jones exited, Minnesota began ramping up its pressure. It sacked Blough six times — four in the second half — and recorded 12 total tackles for loss.
"They brought pressure, I would argue to say, maybe 90 percent of the time," Parker said. "We're short-handed there up front, and that youth showed the second half."
Purdue's Jake Replogle started at defensive tackle for his first action since missing the past three games with a head injury. But the senior captain left the game in the second quarter and did not return. Purdue moved end Evan Panfil back to defensive tackle for the rest of the game as it had the previous week against Penn State.
Minnesota played without Shannon Brooks, who rushed for 176 yards against Purdue last season, due to an undisclosed injury. Rodney Smith dominated carries in his place and rushed for 153 yards and three touchdowns. The final one came with 1:30 to play, after the failed fourth-and-inches.
http://www.indystar.com/story/sport...urdue-football-cant-close-minnesota/93242418/