Oct. 7, 2006
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - Drew Tate threw two touchdown passes and Damian Sims ran for two more scores to help No. 19 Iowa beat Purdue 47-17 and rebound from last week's demoralizing loss to top-ranked Ohio State.
Iowa (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) jumped out to an early lead, rolled up 286 yards rushing and a season-high 539 total yards. The Hawkeyes defense -- picked apart in a 38-17 defeat to the Buckeyes -- did its best to keep Purdue's potent offense in check.
Purdue (4-2, 1-1) entered the game with an average of 36.8 points per game, the nation's fifth-best passing offense and its own hopes of bouncing back after losing last week at Notre Dame.
The Boilermakers amassed 456 total yards, but much of that came in the second half when they trailed by as many as 24 points. Purdue also rushed for 202 yards, a season high.
The Hawkeyes intercepted Purdue quarterback Curtis Painter twice, the first setting up a field goal that put Iowa up 17-0 in the second quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Adam Shada stepped in front of a Painter pass at the Iowa 2 and returned it 98 yards for a touchdown, the longest in school history.
Tate, the Big Ten's second-leading passer behind Painter, was 17-of-23 for 253 yards. His first TD pass was a 3-yarder to fullback Tom Busch that put Iowa out front 14-0 in the first quarter. In the third quarter, Tate flicked a 4-yard TD pass to tight end Scott Chandler to put the Hawkeyes up 34-10.
Sims, making his first career start in place of the injured Albert Young, rushed for a career-high 155 yards on 20 carries. Sims, who fumbled deep in Purdue territory on Iowa's opening drive, atoned for his mistake on the next possession with a nifty 36-yard run. He scored three plays later on a 1-yard dive.
A pair of first-half field goals by Kyle Schlicher, from 39 and 27 yards, put Iowa up 20-3 at the half.
The Hawkeyes scored on their first possession of the third quarter. Starting near midfield, Tate threw a 21-yard pass to Dominique Douglas, then Sims ripped off runs of 11 and 12 yards before scoring on an 8-yard run up the middle to put Iowa in front 27-10.
The Boilermakers showed signs of life early in the second half, answering Iowa's score with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns.
Painter, who was 22-of-46 for 249 yards, led Purdue on a five-play, 81-yard scoring drive, capped by an 18-yard TD pass to Greg Orton.
After Iowa scored to pull ahead 34-10, Purdue responded with a 76-yard scoring drive, highlighted by Jaycen Taylor's 16-yard TD run.
On the following possession, Boilermaker defensive end Anthony Spencer stripped the ball from Sims and Brandon Irwin recovered it at the Iowa 34.
But the Hawkeye defense stiffened. Iowa defensive end Bryan Mattison sacked Painter on third down, forcing a 45-yard field goal that Summers pushed wide left.
The Hawkeyes put the game out of reach on their next possession when Shonn Greene, who added 88 yards on 11 carries, scored on a 4-yard TD run.