Purdue knocks off Minnesota
written by: P.E. Gable, Excel H Sports
photos by: Greg Flint, Excel H Sports/Flint Photography
There’s an old adage that some things are worth waiting for.
For the Purdue football team, the wait is over as the Boilermakers captured back-to-back Big Ten victories for the first time since 2022.
Backed by a stingy defense and an explosive offense, Purdue knocked off Minnesota, 41-13 Saturday night at Ross-Ade Stadium. The win improved the Boilermakers to 3-3 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten, but more importantly, it marked the first time Purdue has won consecutive Big Ten games since winning three straight to end the 2022 season. The win was also the first home win in the Big Ten portion of the season.
Sophomore running back Fame Ijeboi got revenge on his former team, rushing for 195 yards and three touchdowns on 31 carries. With his output Saturday, Ijeboi now has nine touchdowns on the season.
Ijeboi got help from his backfield mate, quarterback Ryan Browne, who threw for 159 yards, rushed for another 81 yards and accounted for two touchdowns.
As a unit, Purdue rushed for over 300 yards Saturday night.
While the offense was clicking on all cylinders, Purdue’s defense was just as strong, especially against the run.
The Boilermakers limited the Golden Gophers to just 27 yards on the ground and 273 yards of total offense.
Leading the unit was Jojo Hayden, who had six tackles and had his first career interception.
The Boilermakers struck first to open the game, as kicker Jacobo Echeverria Lozano booted a 45-yard field goal, giving Purdue a 3-0 lead.
That was the first of the first quarter scoring for Purdue, who would stretch the lead to 10-0 following a 15-yard pitch and catch from Browne to tight end George Burhenn.
The Golden Gophers would trim the deficit to 10-3, following a field goal from Luke Drezwiecki.
From that point on, it was all Purdue all the time in the first half, as the Boilers got another field from Echeverria Lozano and the first of three touchdowns from Ijeboi, sending Purdue into the lockers ahead 20-3.
The halftime break did little to slow Ijeboi, who found a seam and rumbled in from a yard out to give Purdue a 27-3 lead. Minnesota would claw back with another field goal from Drezwiecki and a touchdown pass from Drake Lindsey to Jalen Smith, cutting the deficit to 27-13 heading into the fourth quarter.
Purdue put the game away in the fourth quarter with a touchdown from Browne and Ijeboi’s third trip to the end zone.
Up next for Purdue is a game against Washington Friday, October 16. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. on Fox.
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