Mitchell Fineran kicked a go-ahead, 25-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter and Devin Mockobee rushed for 70 yards and a touchdown on the Boilermakers’ next drive to lead Purdue to a 20-10 win over No. 21 Minnesota on Saturday at Minneapolis.
Purdue (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) took a 13-10 edge with 4:57 left to play thanks to Fineran’s kick before the defense forced a three-and-out. Mockobee then broke away for a 68-yard rush before punching it in from 2 yards out with 3:13 remaining.
Mockobee finished with 112 yards on 11 carries, while quarterback Aidan O’Connell completed 27 of 40 passes for 199 yards and two interceptions.
The Golden Gophers (4-1, 1-1) had one last chance to score, but Cam Allen intercepted Tanner Morgan’s pass to seal the victory.
Morgan threw for 257 yards on 18-of-33 passing with three interceptions. Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota’s star running back, did not play due to an ankle injury. Daniel Jackson tallied six receptions for 110 yards.
Bryce Williams’ 1-yard rushing touchdown capped the Gophers’ eight-play, 52-yard drive on their first possession of the second half to even the score at 10-10.
Minnesota nearly tied the score just before the break. Morgan had a wide-open Michael Stephens-Brown in the end zone, but Stephens-Brown couldn’t coral the pass, it ricocheted off his chest, went up into the air and Allen came down with a pick.
The Golden Gophers’ Tyler Nubin came up with an interception of his own to prevent Purdue from recording a last-minute score in the first half.
The teams combined for five turnovers in the first half.
On the Boilermakers’ opening drive, a defensive pass interference penalty put them at the Minnesota 2. Dylan Downing found the end zone from there to open the scoring.
Purdue’s defense later got a stop on fourth-and-1 and turned the short field into points, as Fineran kicked a 43-yard field goal to make it 10-0.
Matthew Trickett tried to answer with a 28-yard field goal on the ensuing drive for the Gophers, but his attempt went wide left. Jordan Howden intercepted O’Connell after the miss, though, and Trickett redeemed himself by making good on a 45-yarder.
–Field Level Media
