Purdue hands NU its 1st loss
A funny thing happened along the way to Northwestern's finest start since 1962.
Purdue outplayed the Wildcats during the quarter that NU has made a habit of owning.
While Northwestern missed 2 fourth-quarter field goals, including a 45-yard try with 58 seconds left, the Boilers seized control of the line of scrimmage.
Wheaton Warrenville South graduate Dan Dierking went untouched up the middle for a 7-yard score with 3:54 left to lift Purdue to a 20-17 Big Ten triumph before 33,847 Saturday night at Ryan Field.
“I couldn't have written a better script, said Dierking, the senior captain who was hoisted into the air in the end zone by his teammates. “It opened up perfectly and (quarterback) Rob (Henry) made the right read. I kind of jerked the ball out of his hands to take it. I couldn't wait any longer.
Meanwhile, in an unwelcome juxtaposition on an otherwise perfect evening, the Wildcats couldn't even sit and suffer in silence in their locker room because a spectacular postgame fireworks display reigned overhead.
“Pretty awful, said NU junior quarterback Dan Persa. “First loss of the year. Purdue outplayed us. They took it. They wanted it more than us in every phase.
“This is awful. I really don't know what else to say.
Northwestern (5-1, 1-1), which failed in its bid to start 6-0 for the first time since 1962, dealt with issues in every aspect of the game.
The offensive line struggled to protect Persa, who hit 30 of 41 passes for 305 yards but failed to record a touchdown pass for the first time this season. Not only did Persa take 5 sacks, he had to scramble eight times.
Nonetheless, Persa had the Wildcats on the move after Dierking's go-ahead score.
With a mix of short passes and runs, the Wildcats sprinted into a third-and-5 situation at Purdue's 26. Mike Trumpy blasted all the way to Purdue's 4, but center Ben Burkett was flagged for holding.
The drive ended with a Stefan Demos 45-yard attempt that was pulled wide right and the short-handed Boilermakers (3-2, 1-0) jumped around on their sideline in delight.
On NU's previous drive, Demos had a 41-yard attempt blocked that set up Purdue's winning drive.
“Well, we've got to make them, said Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald. “Our job is to go out and execute. I thought on the one we got blocked they had some push. I thought he struck it well.
Those weren't the only special-teams problems. Stephen Simmons muffed a kickoff that NU had to cover up at its own 5-yard line, while punt returner Hunter Bates dropped 2 punts and only recovered 1.
As for Northwestern's defense, it allowed just 279 total yards to a Purdue squad playing without its top quarterback, receiver and running back.
However, those 279 yards included two long runs that led to 10 Purdue points.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Henry, who posted a game-high 132 rushing yards in his first start, took a keeper 67 yards late in the first quarter to set up his own 1-yard touchdown rollout.
In the third quarter, Henry pitched to speedster Keith Carlos for a 51-yard run down the left sideline that led to a field goal.
Fitzgerald credited Purdue for adjusting its blocking schemes during its bye week.
“They were reading the defensive tackle instead of the defensive end, Fitzgerald said. “There were times we fit it really well, and there were times that we didn't. Outside of the two explosion plays, it was a pretty darn good performance by our defense.