End of Third Quarter; Purdue 21, Northwestern 19
Purdue will start from its own 29-yard line, looking to end the onslaught of NU unanswered points. It didn’t get off to a good start, as an illegal motion penalty on first down moved the team back to the 24. Bolden carried the ball almost back to the original line of scrimmage with a gain of four. Facing heavy pressure, Elliott was able to escape and hit Valentin for a gain of 14 to the Purdue 44. The Boilermakers handed off to Bolden, but he was stuffed by Jordan Mabin. Elliott was chased again, and stepped out of bounds “right here” according to the refs, which was four yards behind the line of scrimmage. Instead of trying to get the third and long, Purdue was content with a run for no gain by Bolden up the middle. On the punt, the ball went off the side of Chris Summers’ foot, literally, and only went 13 yards. The Cats have excellent field position, starting at their own 47. A couple first downs will put NU in field goal range and with a chance to take the lead.
Arby Fields began the drive with a two-yard run. A horizontal pass to Markshausen once again did not go anywhere, and on a critical third down Sidney Stewart dropped a Kafka pass. Demos punted after the three-and-out, and the Boilermakers will start at their 24.
Elliott passed incomplete to Valentin on first down, and on second Elliott slid himself for a gain of six. Elliott completed the third-down pass to Smith for a gain of 13. On the following play, Marshall Thomas was called offsides, which negated a forced fumble by Phillips that was recovered by the Cats. Two plays later though, Elliott completed a pass to Lindsay for a gain of six, but another fumble was forced by Phillips and recovered by Phillips, to give the Cats the ball at their own 44.
Kafka had a quarterback keeper for no gain on first down, and in a memory lapse, NU was hit with a five-yard penalty for delay of game. The Cats thought the time was going to run out in the quarter, but there was a half-second difference between play clock and game clock. NU will start the fourth quarter down by two and with a second and 15 at their 39.
Funny note: the song “Shout” began playing between quarters, much to the delight of the crowd - and the NU players. Fitzgerald played the song during practice this week, and many of the players were seen dancing along to the music.
