2020 Virtual Purdue Football Season: Purdue 37, Iowa 24

I had gotten busy and got away from the virtual season a bit, but there were only two regular season games left, so I might as well see it through. Only Iowa and Indiana remained, and thanks to a 108 yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Rondale Moore Purdue clinched just the second 10-win season in school history.

It wasn’t easy though. Jack Plummer was intercepted three times, including on the first play from scrimmage, that set up a Keith Duncan 48 yard field goal. Jack recovered, however, and drove down to give us a 7-3 lead on a 3-yard pass to Zander Horvath. Iowa had an answer with a quick drive where Sam LaPorta caught a 10 yard score from Spencer Petras, but J.D. Dellinger tied it at 10-10 late in the first quarter on a 29 yard field goal.

Dellinger would make it 13-10 with a 21 yard field goal with 3:22 before halftime, then Deddrick Mackey made a huge play by intercepting Petras in the end zone. That set up a nice drive where King Doerue scored from two yards out with 15 seconds left in the half to make it 20-10.

Purdeu offense stalled in the third with Plummer twice getting intercepted in the end zone. Once Plummer had a wide open Moore, but Dane Belton made the famous “linebacker leaps and makes an amazing pick” play common with NCAA 14. That set up another LaPorta score. After Plummer was intercepted again Iowa drove down and Petra found LaPorta a third time with 4:59 left to make it 24-20 Iowa.

Of course, we still had a Rondale. Thanks to some key blocks Rondale burst up the sideline for a 107 yard TD return to give Purdue the lead right back. The Boilers then got a defensive stop thanks to a huge sack from DaMarcus Mitchell, and that set up a clinching drive where Jackson Anthrop caught a five yard TD with 34 seconds left. After the Boilers forced a 4 and out I kicked a third Dellinger field goal for fun.

Rondale finished the game with 198 kickoff return yards, 12 punt return yards, and 5 receptions for 81 yards. Amad Anderson Jr. also had a really good game with 4 catches for 73 yards. Defensively Mitchell was great with four tackles for loss and the huge sack. Mackey also had his ninth interception of the season, a school record, and he was close on two more.

Purdue is now 10-1 on the virtual season with just Indiana to play. I would then play Ohio State in the B1G title game, and at 12-1 do you think Purdue deserves a shot in the playoff?