End of game; Northwestern 27, Purdue 21
NU started its drive with a run by Fields, which went for no gain. Kafka then tried to thread the needle on a pass to Stewart, and it was incomplete. On third down, Markshausen caught a Kafka pass down the sideline for the first down. It was the tenth catch for Markshausen today, which is a career high. After a long overthrow by Kafka on a pass intended for Demetrius Fields, Kafka completed an easy screen to Schmidt for 17. In a play straight out of the Denver Broncos’ playbook, a pass intended for Brewer was tipped off Brewer’s hands and fell into Dunsmore’s lap. Dunsmore nearly fumbled the ball, but held on and got down to the 20-yard line. A rush by Schmidt for four and a rollout pass to Rooks for five set up a Kafka keeper for a first down. The Cats now have first and goal on the Purdue seven. On a designed quarterback run to the right sideline, Kafka stretched the ball to the pylon, and it was ruled a touchdown on the field. However, the play was overturned, with the referee stating that Kafka stepped out at the three-yard line with the ball at the two. On second and two from the two, Kafka took the ball up the middle and scored, giving the Cats their first lead of the game with 2:09 remaining. They are lining up to go for two, but a false start moved them back five yards. Still, Kafka tossed the ball up for Dunsmore, who snatched the ball to complete the two-point conversion. NU now leads 27-21, and it is up to the defense to hold the Boilermakers in the final couple of minutes.
Not a promising start for Purdue, as Valentin bobbled the kickoff and only managed to get out to the 16-yard line. But Elliott made up for it with a 26-yard pass to Carlos while running around in the backfield. Elliott tried going that way again, but the pass to Carlos was incomplete. The Cats brought the heat of second down, but it was picked up nicely by Purdue and Elliott made them pay with a pass completion to Keith Smith for 22 yards. On the ensuing first down, Elliott completed to Carlos for five yards, but then rifled an incompletion to the sidelines to bring up a third down. He quickly found Carlos again, though, hooking up for 10 yards and a first down. With 48.8 seconds remaining, NU called a timeout. The Boilermakers are starting from the NU 21. An offensive encroachment penalty set Purdue back five yards, which could be huge. Elliott completed his first down pass to Valentin for 13 yards, which is just short of the first down. On second and two from the 13, Elliott kept the ball for no gain as Wootton came up from behind and brought him down. Purdue was forced to use another of its timeouts with 33.4 seconds remaining and faced with a third and two. Elliott was able to avoid the pressure from the NU front four and scrambled for the first down, getting to the seven. A spike brought up second down, and a quick screen to Carlos was shut down by the Cats, only netting two yards, and Purdue had to use its final timeout. It is now third and goal from the five-yard line. On the play, the ball fell harmlessly off the outstretched fingertips of Valentin. Smith provided the coverage. On fourth down, Elliott was forced out of the pocket, and overthrew it across the field.
Kafka knelt the ball to end the game. The Cats somehow pull off the win, 27-21. Keep it here for postgame recap and analysis of this crazy game.
