Minnesota 39, Purdue 38: Quick & Painful Recap

Purdue lost to Minnesota on Saturday, 38-39, in a tough game that featured touchdowns scored by 10 different players combined from both teams.  This game "felt" like a Purdue win until very late in the 4^th quarter, when the Gophers kicked a field goal to go up by 1 point and then intercepted Appleby not long after to seal the win.

Purdue won the toss and elected to receive to start the game... and then immediately threw an interception to set up a Gopher touchdown just 20 seconds into the game.  The Boilers regrouped and went on to score on their next five drives (TD, TD, TD, FG, TD) to take a 31-20 lead going into halftime.  Appleby threw TD passes to Danny Anthrop, Gabe Holmes, and DeAngelo Yancey in the first half.  Mostert only carried the ball once in the opening half but he ran it 42 yards for a TD. The offense was clicking and Purdue didn't punt until four minutes in to the 3^rd quarter.

And then, the second half happened.

Mostert added a 69 yard run in the 3^rd quarter that set up a one yard score that Appleby ran in by himself.  The 3^rd quarter struggles that have plagued the Boilers all year let Minnesota back in the game as they scored two more TDs and a field goal to bring the score within two, 38-36, going into the 4^th.

After throwing for 135 yards in the 1^st half, Appleby couldn't get it going in the second, throwing for just 18 more yards after the break.  Mostert and Hunt had good days on the ground, but in the end, it just wasn't enough to win.  The Boilers were outscored 19-7 in the second half.  Late penalties and silly mistakes, almost entirely in the second half, really killed Purdue today as they were held scoreless in the 4th quarter.

Hats off to Minnesota for sticking with their game plan of feeding David Cobb the ball.  He finished with 35 carries for 194 yards.

Purdue moves to 3-5 overall and 1-3 in the B1G.  The Gophers are now 6-1 and 3-0 in league play.  The Boilers have next week off before traveling to Nebraska on November 1^st.