The big one arrives Saturday night! No. 2 Ohio State visits Ross-Ade Stadium as two of the Big Ten's hottest teams collide for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff on ABC.
Series History- Ohio State leads 40-14-2
- In West Lafayette: Ohio State leads 13-8
- First Meeting: Nov. 8, 1919 – Ohio State won 20-0 at home
- Last Meeting: Nov. 2, 2013 – Ohio State won 56-0 at home
Noteworthy: Under head coach Danny Hope, Purdue defeated Ohio State in consecutive games at Ross-Ade Stadium. The Boilermakers won 26-18 over the seventh-ranked Buckeyes on Oct. 17, 2009, and 26-23 in overtime Nov. 12, 2011. Hope is one of four Purdue coaches with multiple victories against Ohio State (also Stu Holcomb, Jack Mollenkopf and Joe Tiller).
This Date in History: October 20- Record: 7-6-3
- First Game: 1894 – Won vs. Armour Institute 36-0
- Last Game: 2012 – Lost at Ohio State 29-22 (OT)
Noteworthy: On this date in 1945, the ninth-ranked Boilermakers upset No. 4 Ohio State in Columbus. With freshman quarterback Bob DeMoss at the helm, Purdue raced to a 28-0 lead and went on to an improbable 35-13 victory before 73,585 fans, the most ever to watch the Boilermakers at that time. The win improved the Boilermakers to 5-0 and moved them to fourth in the succeeding Associated Press national poll.
Let's Go Streaking!After opening the 2018 season with three straight losses, the Boilermakers are back on track with three consecutive wins, including a victory over No. 23 Boston College and back-to-back Big Ten road wins at Nebraska and Illinois. The current streak marks the second three-game string in one-and-half seasons under head coach Jeff Brohm, and the first time the Boilermakers have had winning streaks of three or more in back-to-back seasons since closing out Big Ten slate with three wins in 2006 and opening the 2007 slate with five consecutive victories. Purdue's back-to-back conference road wins this season are the first for the Boilermakers since winning at Illinois and Iowa in 2012.
Margin of VictoryPurdue's 39-point margin of victory at Illinois last Saturday was the largest since a 48-6 win over Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 1, 2012; largest against an FBS opponent since a 62-10 win over Indiana on Nov. 22, 2008; and largest in a Big Ten road game since a 56-7 win at Indiana on Nov. 22, 1997. The Boilermakers boast seven Big Ten road wins by 30-plus points in the last 50 seasons and 16 in school history.
30-Plus Point Big Ten Road Wins Last 50 Seasons| 49 | Purdue 56, Indiana 7 | Nov. 22, 1997 |
| 45 | Purdue 48, Illinois 3 | Oct.25, 1997 |
| 42 | Purdue 49, Northwestern 7 | Oct. 27, 1984 |
| 39 | Purdue 46, Illinois 7 | Oct. 13, 2018 |
| 37 | Purdue 51, Indiana 14 | Nov. 24, 1995 |
| 35 | Purdue 35, Northwestern 0 | Oct. 17, 1981 |
| 35 | Purdue 56, Northwestern 21 | Nov. 7, 1998 |
Ohio State's ascent to No. 2 in this week's Associated Press top 25 poll will make it the most highly regarded opponent to come to Ross-Ade Stadium since second-ranked and undefeated Penn State paid a visit Oct. 23, 1999. Backed by a fumble return for a touchdown by future NFL Draft first-rounder LaVar Arrington, and a pick-six by fellow unanimous All-American Courtney Brown, the Nittany Lions held off a pesky Drew Brees and the Boilermakers 31-25 that day. Brees completed 31 of 48 passes for 379 yards and two touchdowns. Purdue is 4-10 all-time in school history when squaring off against the second-ranked team in the nation.
Knocking Off Ranked OpponentsPurdue sent No. 23 Boston College to its first loss of the season and booted it out of the AP Top 25 with a 30-13 win Sept. 22. The victory marked the Boilermakers' first win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 23 Illinois 21-14 on Oct. 22, 2011. It was the first triumph over a ranked opponent in the last 20 tries, and the 17-point edge was the largest margin of victory over a top 25 team since beating No. 5 Michigan State 52-28 on Oct. 16, 1999.
An Exclusive ClubAfter the Illinois game, fifth-year quarterback David Blough became the eighth signal-caller in Purdue history (since 1960) with 30 or more career starts.
Purdue Quarterback Career Starts (Since 1960)
- 45 - Mark Herrmann, 1977-80
- 41 - Curtis Painter, 2005-08
- 37 - Drew Brees, 1998-2000
- 35 - Kyle Orton, 2001-04
- 32 - Scott Campbell, 1980-83
- 30 - Bob Griese, 1964-66
- 30 - Eric Hunter, 1989-92
- 30 - David Blough, 2015-Present
Purdue's defense limited an Illinois offense that was averaging 260.8 yards rushing per game for the season to merely 69 markers last Saturday. The run-stoppage marked the third time this season that Purdue's D has held an opponent to double digits on the ground, and the eighth time in 19 games to do so under second-year head coach Jeff Brohm's staff.
Brothers in ArmsWhen Jacob and Brennan Thieneman took the field together against No. 23 Boston College on Sept. 22, it marked the first time in 16 years that a pair of Boilermaker brothers shared the field at the same time. The last siblings to play together at Purdue were offensive lineman Rob and Matt Turner, who started five games together in 2002.
Spinning ItQuarterback David Blough has been in a zone tossing the ball over Purdue's last four games. Against Missouri, No. 23 Boston College, Nebraska and Illinois, Blough went 110 of 181 (68 percent) for 1,573 yards and 10 touchdowns against merely two interceptions. He is averaging 393.2 yards per game passing during the four-game run and went 124 consecutive pass attempts between his two interceptions.
Century MarkBrycen Hopkins' 103 receiving yards against Nebraska on Sept. 29 marked his second 100-yard receiving game of the season (also 136 vs. Missouri). He is the first Purdue tight end to reach triple-digit yards through the air more than once in a season since Dustin Keller did so three times in 2007.
Staying on ScheduleThe Boilermakers have been very successful when playing in front of the chains this season. Purdue is converting 81 percent of its third downs (21 of 26) when facing three or less yards (including a perfect 13 for 13 on third-and-one). Overall, the Boilers are converting on third down 46 percent of the time, a figure that ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 25th nationally.
Rewriting the Record BookThrough the first five games of the season, Jeff Brohm's offense has rewritten decades-old records both at Purdue and in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers have established new high-water marks four different times this season alone. See the notes below for more details on the record-setting feats.
| Record | New Record | Old Record |
|---|---|---|
| All-Purpose Yards | 313, Rondale Moore vs. Northwestern | 312, Otis Armstrong vs. IU, 11/25/72 |
| Passing Yards | 572, David Blough vs. Missouri | 546, Curtis Painter vs. CMU, 12/26/07 |
| Total Offense | 590, David Blough vs. Missouri | 540, Curtis Painter vs. CMU, 12/26/07 |
| Completion Pct. (50-59 att.) |
.709, David Blough vs. Missouri | .702, Drew Brees vs. MSU, 10/16/99 |
Standing 5-foot-7 and 5-foot-9, respectively, D.J. Knox and Rondale Moore have been two of the Boilermakers' most productive players this season. Combined, the compact duo have accounted for 51 of Purdue's 125 non-penalty first downs (41 percent), 11 of Purdue's 24 touchdowns (46 percent), 679 of 1,076 rushing yards (63 percent) and 603 of 1,985 receiving yards (30 percent).
Bloughing ThroughAgainst Missouri, senior quarterback David Blough set the Purdue game passing yards record (572) and the Big Ten game total offense mark (590). The previous standards were 546 passing yards by Curtis Painter against Central Michigan in the Motor City Bowl on Dec. 26, 2007, and 585 yards of total offense by Dave Wilson of Illinois against Ohio State on Nov. 8, 1980. Blough's passing yards rank second in Big Ten history, trailing only Wilson's 621 in that game (he had -36 yards rushing).
Finding PaydirtSenior running back Markell Jones' one-yard touchdown run at Illinois was the 19th total score of his career (17 rushing, two receiving). He is tied with Akeem Hunt for 18th in school history.
| 16. | Taylor Stubblefield (2001-04) | 21 |
| 17. | DeAngelo Yancey (2013-16) | 20 |
| 18. | Akeem Hunt (2011-14) | 19 |
| Markell Jones (2015-P) | 18 |
With 12 carries for 109 yards against Eastern Michigan on Sept. 8, senior running back Markell Jones moved past two-time consensus All-American and 1968 Heisman Trophy runner up Leroy Keyes on Purdue's career rushing yardage list. Jones has rushed for 2,353 yards in his four-year Boilermaker career and currently sits 10th all-time.
| Career Rushing Yards | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8. | Corey Rogers (1991-95) | 2,436 |
| 9. | Jerod Void (2002-05) | 2,429 |
| 10. | Markell Jones (2015-P) | 2,353 |
| Career Rushing Attempts | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8. | Perry Williams (1966-68) | 514 |
| 9. | Corey Rogers (1991-95) | 489 |
| 10. | Markell Jones (2015-P) | 484 |
| Career Rushing Touchdowns | ||
|---|---|---|
| 9. | Stan Brown (1968-70) | 19 |
| 10. | Otis Armstrong (1970-72) | 17 |
| Markell Jones (2015-P) | 17 |
David Blough's school-record performance against Missouri ranked among the top five individual efforts in the history of Jeff Brohm's head coaching career. A look at where it stands:
Passing Yards- 593, Brandon Doughty at Middle Tennessee (Sept. 13, 2014)
- 572, David Blough vs. Missouri (Sept. 15, 2018)
- 569, Brandon Doughty vs. Bowling Green (Aug. 29, 2014)
- 517, Mike White vs. Rice (Sept. 1, 2016)
- 491, Brandon Doughty at Marshall (Nov. 28, 2014)
- 46, Brandon Doughty vs. Bowling Green (Aug. 29, 2014)
- 43, Brandon Doughty at Middle Tennessee (Sept. 13, 2014)
- 39, David Blough vs. Missouri (Sept. 15, 2018)
- 38, Brandon Doughty at Navy (Sept. 27, 2014)
- 37, Brandon Doughty at LSU (Oct. 24, 2015)
- 37, Elijah Sindelar at Northwestern (Oct. 11, 2017)
- 66, Brandon Doughty at Middle Tennessee (Sept. 13, 2014)
- 61, Brandon Doughty at LSU (Oct. 24, 2015)
- 60, Elijah Sindelar at Northwestern (Nov. 11, 2017)
- 56, Brandon Doughty vs. Bowling Green (Aug. 29, 2014)
- 55, David Blough vs. Missouri (Sept. 15, 2018)
When D.J. Knox (152) and Markell Jones (109) both topped the century mark in rushing yards against Eastern Michigan on Sept. 8, it was the first time a pair of Boilermakers went for 100-plus yards in the same game since 2002 (Brandon Jones, 131, and Joey Harris, 102). It was merely the 27th time in school history that the feat has been accomplished and only the fifth time in the last 35 years. Please see page 101 of the Purdue Records Book for the entire list of the previous 26 100-yard rushing duos. It was the fifth time Jones rushed for over 100 yards in a game in his career and the third, and also a career-high, for Knox.
100-Yard Rushing Duos Since 1984- Sept. 17, 1994 vs. Ball State - Mike Alstott (156) and Corey Rogers (124)
- Nov. 4, 1995 vs. Wisconsin- Mike Alstott (204) and Edwin Watson (194)
- Oct. 26, 2002 at Northwestern - Brandon Jones (165) and Joey Harris (132)
- Nov. 23, 2002 vs. Indiana - Brandon Jones (131) and Joey Harris (102)
- Sept. 8, 2018 vs. Eastern Michigan - D.J. Knox (152) and Markell Jones (109)
True freshman Rondale Moore became a household name when he electrified the nation with a record-breaking performance in his collegiate debut against Northwestern on Aug. 30. With a FBS-best 313 all-purpose yards against the Wildcats (79 rushing, 109 receiving, 125 kickoff return), Moore eclipsed Otis Armstrong's single game school record of 312 yards set Nov. 25, 1972. Moore had a huge first half, racking up 302 all-purpose yards in the initial 30 minutes. That alone would have placed him third in the Purdue record book. With the Boilermakers trailing 14-0 in the first 10 minutes of the opening quarter, Moore hauled in a 32-yard touchdown reception from Elijah Sindelar and ripped off a 76-yard scoring run to even the score before the quarter ended.
More on MooreRondale Moore is the first freshman (true or redshirt) in school history to make his Boilermaker debut with a 100-yard receiving game. Moore hauled in a game-high 11 receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown in his first collegiate game against Northwestern … His reception total was the highest by any player in the Big Ten on the opening week of college football and his yardage tally was second to only Ohio State's Terry McLaurin's 121 vs. Oregon State … Moore's 76-yard touchdown rush in the first quarter against Northwestern was the longest run by a Boilermaker since Akeem Hunt went 82 yards to the house at Indiana on Nov. 29, 2014 … Moore's average of 7.5 receptions per game is tied for sixth in the FBS and second in the Big Ten … Moore ranks fourth in the FBS and first in the Big Ten with an average of 167.58 all-purpose yards per game ... Moore ranks 13th in the nation and second in the Big Ten with 45 total receptions on the year … His 558 receiving yards for the season are second among all Big Ten players.
Don't BlinkFreshman Rondale Moore has held the football 73 times in his young six-game collegiate career and is averaging 13.8 yards per touch. He has 45 receptions for a team-leading 558 yards, 9 carries for 143 yards, 13 kick returns for 269 yards and six punt returns for 41 yards entering the Ohio State game. Moore has 18 plays of 20 or more yards this season, including a 76-yard touchdown rush and a 70-yard scoring reception.
Moving Up The ChartsFifth-year senior David Blough continues to climb further into the Purdue career record book.
| Passing Attempts | |||
| 3. | Kyle Orton (2001-04) | 1,336 | |
| 4. | Mark Herrmann (1977-80) | 1,309 | |
| 5. | David Blough (2015-P) | 1,154 | |
| Completions | |||
| 3. | Kyle Orton (2001-04) | 786 | |
| 4. | Mark Herrmann (1977-80) | 772 | |
| 5. | David Blough (2015-P) | 694 | |
| Passing Yards | |||
| 3. | Mark Herrmann (1977-80) | 9,946 | |
| 4. | Kyle Orton (2001-04) | 9,937 | |
| 5. | David Blough (2015-P) | 7,724 | |
| Passing Touchdowns | |||
| 3. | Curtis Painter (2005-08) | 67 | |
| 4. | Kyle Orton (2001-04) | 63 | |
| 5. | David Blough (2015-P) | 54 | |
| Total Offense | |||
| 3. | Kyle Orton (2001-04) | 9,653 | |
| 4. | Mark Herrmann (1977-80) | 9,134 | |
| 5. | David Blough (2015-P) | 7,984 |
The Boilermakers achieved their longest and shortest touchdown drives of the season vs. No. 23 Boston College on Sept. 29. The opening scoring drive, a one-yard rush by D.J. Knox, lasted a season-high 12 plays and took 5:58 off the clock. Rondale's Moore's amazing 70-yard score to open the second quarter lasted all of one play and took merely 13 seconds. For the year, Purdue is averaging 70.1 yards, 5.7 plays and 2:16 on its 18 touchdown drives.
Weekly Big Ten HonorsJoe Schopper's selection as the Oct. 1 Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week was the fourth time in the first five weeks to have a Boilermaker recognized by the conference office for their performance. The four weekly honors are the most in a season for Purdue since 2012, when it had five selections.
Weekly B1G Honors
- Sept. 3 - Rondale Moore (Freshman)
- Sept. 17 - David Blough (Offense)
- Sept. 24 - Rondale Moore (Freshman)
- Oct. 1 - Joe Schopper (Special Teams)
Eight Boilermakers were voted captains by their teammates for the 2018 season: junior linebacker Markus Bailey, fifth-year center Kirk Barron, fifth-year quarterback David Blough, fifth-year running back D.J. Knox, junior defensive tackle Lorenzo Neal, senior punter Joe Schopper, junior quarterback Elijah Sindelar and fifth-year safety Jacob Thieneman. Barron and Blough were voted captain for a second consecutive season.
Seeing TripleFor just the fifth time school history, Purdue had three different players reach the century mark in receiving yards in the same game. Freshman wide receiver Rondale Moore, junior tight end Brycen Hopkins and senior wide receiver Isaac Zico pulled off the rare feat against Missouri on Sept. 15. It was the first occurrence for the Boilermakers in 11 years.
100-Yard Receiving Trios- Oct. 3, 1998 vs. Minnesota - Randall Lane (137), Gabe Cox (133) and Cliff Jackson (101)
- Oct. 28, 2000 vs. Ohio State - Vinny Sutherland (142), Seth Morales (115) and Tim Stratton (100)
- Nov. 20, 2004 vs. Indiana - Kyle Ingraham (209), Taylor Stubblefield (138) and Dorien Bryant (131)
- Dec. 26, 2007 vs. Central Michigan - Dustin Keller (150), Greg Orton (136) and Jake Standeford (112)
- Sept. 15, 2018 vs. Missouri - Rondale Moore (137), Brycen Hopkins (136) and Isaac Zico (100)
The 1,220 combined yards amassed by Purdue and Missouri on Sept. 15 were the most shared with a Boilermaker opponent in school history.
1,000-Plus Combined Yard Performances| 1. | 1,222 | Purdue (614) vs. Missouri (608), Sept. 15, 2018 |
| 2. | 1,208 | Purdue (516) at Indiana (692), Nov. 30, 2013 |
| 3. | 1,145 | Purdue (486) vs. Indiana (659), Nov. 28, 2015 |
| 4. | 1,135 | Purdue (514) vs. Notre Dame (621), Oct. 1, 2005 |
| 5. | 1,225 | Purdue (472) at Hawaii (653), Nov. 25, 2006 |
David Blough's one-yard touchdown rush against Missouri on Sept. 15 improved his career total to 11. He needs five more in his final season in the Old Gold and Black to overtake Mark Vitali as the program's leader among quarterbacks.
Purdue Quarterback Career Rushing Touchdowns| Mark Vitali, 1974-76 | 15 |
| Bob Griese, 1964-66 | 14 |
| Drew Brees, 1997-2000 | 14 |
| Curtis Painter, 2005-08 | 13 |
| Bo Bobrowski, 1972-73 | 12 |
| Eric Hunter, 1989-92 | 12 |
| David Blough, 2015-Present | 12 |