End of First Quarter; Purdue 14, NU 3
After NU went on its longest drive of the season, Purdue completed its longest pass of the season, a 67-yard pass from Joey Elliott to Aaron Valentin. Really, though, the pass didn’t go more than two yards in the air. Valentin accepted a pass in the flat, shrugged Sherrick McManis and then stiff-armed Brad Phillips. Valentin went untouched the rest of the way. The Boilers went 73 yards in three plays, moving the ball down the field in 59 seconds.
On NU’s ensuing possession it wasn’t able to get anything going. The Cats moved backward on a clipping penalty by Andrew Brewer, went forward on a facemask penalty and then couldn’t convert on third down. Stefan Demos punted 43 yards to the Purdue 24-yard line.
Ralph Bolden showed why he is the Big Ten’s leading rusher when he gained 13 yards on a misdirection off the left side. Bolden juked two defenders and broke a tackle. Earlier in the quarter Bolden broke five, count ‘em, five tackles on a play.
Purdue was content to end the quarter with a first-and-20 from its own 30 after a 10-yard holding penalty on right tackle Zach Jones.
