Aidan O’Connell threw for 391 yards and four touchdowns, and Devin Mockobee rushed for 178 yards and a score as Purdue outlasted visiting Nebraska 43-37 in their Big Ten matchup on Saturday in West Lafayette, Ind.
The Boilermakers (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) survived a monstrous game from Cornhuskers wide receiver Trey Palmer, who piled up 297 yards from scrimmage. He caught seven passes for 237 yards and two scores, one of them a 72-yarder from Casey Thompson that pulled Nebraska within 34-30 late in the third quarter.
However, Purdue extended its lead to 37-30 with 10 minutes left in the game on Mitch Fineran’s 34-yard field goal, his third of the game.
Nebraska’s next possession ended when Reese Taylor picked off Thompson at the Purdue 38. The Boilermakers turned that into Charlie Jones’ 2-yard TD reception, giving them some breathing room at 43-30 with 6:55 left in the game, although Fineran missed the extra point.
But Thompson again connected with Palmer, this time for 64 yards, to get to the Purdue 6. Two plays later, Anthony Grant’s 1-yard run and Timmy Bleekrode’s point-after cut the deficit to 43-37 with just under six minutes left.
The Boilermakers kept possession the rest of the way, including converting a fourth-and-1 at midfield and running out the clock.
In the third quarter, Palmer’s end-around set up Bleekrode’s third field goal, a 22-yarder, as the Cornhuskers (3-4, 2-2) crept to within 27-23.
Thompson completed 16 of 29 passes for 354 yards and two touchdowns and two interceptions.
O’Connell went 35-of-54 passing, and his four touchdowns matched a season high.
Purdue scored 17 points in a span of 5:14 late in the second quarter and led 27-13 at halftime.
Nebraska countered with the first 13 points of the third quarter, including a 37-yard scoring toss to Palmer and two Bleekrode field goals.
TJ Sheffield’s second touchdown, a 28-yard completion from O’Connell, extended the lead to 34-23 with 2:18 left in the third quarter.
The Boilermakers, who won their fourth straight game, had four sacks to none for the Cornhuskers, and had the edge in total yards (608-476), first downs (38-15) and total plays (101-52).
–Field Level Media
