It is a Big Ten Conference West Division showdown with Purdue playing host to 19th-ranked Iowa at Ross-Ade Stadium. The Boilermakers and the Hawkeyes are tied with Wisconsin for second place in the division with 3-2 conference records, a game and a half behind front-running Northwestern (5-1). Today is Ag Day and Boilermaker Kids Club Day, and Purdue Athletics welcomes its friends in agriculture and its next generation of fans.
Series History- Purdue leads 47-38-3
- In West Lafayette: Purdue leads 27-17-1
- First Meeting: Oct. 22, 1910 – Iowa won 16-0 at home
- Last Meeting: Nov. 18, 2017 – Purdue won 24-15 on the road
Noteworthy: The Boilermakers won 20 straight games (10 at home and 10 on the road) against the Hawkeyes from 1961 to 1980 ... Needing to win three straight in order to become bowl eligible, the 2012 Boilermakers walked off with a 27-24 victory at Iowa on the shoulders of a Paul Griggs' 46-yard field goal as time expired to begin the necessary run of victories that led to a berth in the Heart of Dallas Bowl ... Last season, the 4-6 Boilermakers extended their hopes of extending the season with a 24-15 victory over the Hawkeyes in Iowa City. Playing on a torn ACL, Ellijah Sindelar completed 22 of 37 passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns in the win.
This Date in History: Nov. 3- Record: 9-9-1
- First Game: 1894 – Won at Chicago 10-6
- Last Game: 2012 – Lost vs. Penn State 34-9
Noteworthy: On this date in 1984, Purdue defeated Michigan 31-29 at Ross-Ade Stadium. Quarterback Jim Everett completed 23 of 32 passes for 290 yards and two touchdowns. By beating Michigan, Notre Dame and Ohio State, the 1984 Boilermakers joined Michigan State, in 1951 and 1965, as the only teams to defeat those three traditional powerhouses in the same season. Purdue went on to play in the Peach Bowl, finishing the season with a 7-5 overall record and 6-3 Big Ten mark, good for a second-place tie with Illinois. Leon Burtnett earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors.
Maxwell Award SemifinalistRondale Moore has been named a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award. Moore has held the football 109 times in his young eight-game collegiate career and is averaging 13.3 yards per touch. He has 68 receptions for a team-leading 802 yards, 11 carries for 163 yards, 21 kick returns for 426 yards and nine punt returns for 58 yards entering the Iowa game. Moore has 22 plays of 20 or more yards this season, including a 76-yard touchdown rush and a 70-yard scoring reception. Moore's 68 receptions are the most for a Boilermaker in a season since Keith Smith had 91 in 2009.
Butkus Award SemifinalistJunior linebacker Markus Bailey was named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award. Bailey leads the Boilermakers with 69 total tackles, 45 solo, with six tackles for loss. His 3.5 sacks ties for second on the team. He had a career-high 15 total tackles and returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown against his hometown team, No. 2 Ohio State, on Oct. 20.
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 |
David Blough's three straight games with 300 or more yards passing against Nebraska, Illinois and Ohio State placed him among the most celebrated quarterbacks in school history. Merely four other signal callers in the Cradle of Quarterbacks had achieved the feat in so many straight games. Jim Everett and Drew Brees did it twice in their Purdue careers, while Kyle Orton and Curtis Painter accomplished it once apiece. Blough, Everett and Brees are the only three to pull it off against three straight Big Ten opponents. No player in school history has thrown for over 300 yards in four straight games.
Consecutive Games with 300 Yards Passing- 1985 - Jim Everett (398 at Pitt, 340 vs. Ball State, 368 vs. Notre Dame - 796 total)
- 1985 - Jim Everett (464 vs. Illinois, 497 at Ohio State, 315 vs. Michigan State - 1,276 total)
- 1998 - Drew Brees (522 vs. Minnesota, 494 at Wisconsin, 361 at Penn State - 1,377 total)
- 1999 - Drew Brees (317 vs. Notre Dame, 320 vs. Central Michigan, 405 vs. Northwestern - 1,042 total)
- 2004 - Kyle Orton (329 vs. Ball State, 366 at Illinois, 385 at Notre Dame - 1,080 total)
- 2007 - Curtis Painter (348 vs. Eastern Illinois, 360 vs. Central Michigan, 338 at Minnesota - 1,046 total)
- 2018 - David Blough (328 at Nebraska, 377 at Illinois, 378 vs. Ohio State - 1,083 total)
Whether Purdue or the opposition has pushed the ball in the red zone this season, the Boilermakers have thrived. When possessing the ball inside the opponent's 25, Purdue is converting the drive into points 92 percent of the time (34 of 37 - 21 touchdowns, 13 field goals), a figure that ranks 18th nationally and fourth in the Big Ten. Conversely, when the opposing team has penetrated inside the Boilers' 25-yard line, they are converting at a rate of merely 72 percent (21 of 29 - 12 touchdowns, nine field goals), a mark that ranks 11th nationally and tops the B1G.
A B1G FirstSince the Big Ten began naming an Offensive, Defensive, Special Teams and Freshman of the Week in 2010, no school had ever swept all four categories. That is, until this week. After knocking off No. 2 Ohio State, David Blough (O), Markus Bailey (D), Joe Schopper (ST) and Rondale Moore (F) made history by being the first quartet from same school to be recognized by the conference office for the weekly honor. Purdue's eight player of the week selections this season is tied for the most in a year (also 2000 and 2001)
2018 B1G Weekly Honors- Sept. 3 – Rondale Moore (Freshman)
- Sept. 17 – David Blough (Offense)
- Sept. 24 – Rondale Moore (Freshman)
- Oct. 1 – Joe Schopper (Special Teams)
- Oct. 22 - David Blough (Offense), Markus Bailey (Defense), Joe Schopper (Special Teams), Rondale Moore (Freshman)
With seven straight starts this season, David Blough is the sixth quarterback at Purdue (since 1960) with 32 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
- 32 - David Blough, 2015-Present
Purdue's defense limited Ohio State to 76 yards rushing on Oct. 20 The run-stoppage marked the fourth time this season that Purdue's D has held an opponent to double digits on the ground, and the ninth time in 21 games to do so under second-year head coach Jeff Brohm's staff.
Brothers in ArmsWhen Jacob Thieneman 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.
No Ordinary FreshmanTrue Freshman Rondale Moore has been a revelation in his initial season at Purdue. The first-year Boilermaker already has five 100-yard receiving games. He needs merely two more games with 100 or more yards receiving to tie Steve Griffin (1984) and John Standeford (2002) for the most in a season at Purdue.
Most Games with 100-plus Yards Receiving (Season)- 7 - Steve Griffin (1984), John Standeford (2002)
- 6 - Keith Smith (2009)
- 5 - Rondale Moore (tied with six others)
Brycen 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 76 percent of its third downs (26 of 34) when facing three or less yards (including a nearly perfect 16 for 17 on third-and-1). Overall, the Boilers are converting on third down 42 percent of the time.
Rewriting the Record BookThrough the first eight 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 70 of Purdue's 159 non-penalty first downs (44 percent), 16 of 31 touchdowns (51 percent), 882 of 1,299 rushing yards (68 percent) and 905 of 2,640 receiving yards (34 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 his
| 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 2,363 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) | 2,363 |
| Career Rushing Attempts | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8. | Perry Williams (1966-68) | 514 |
| 9. | Corey Rogers (1991-95) | 489 |
| Markell Jones (2015-P) | 491 |
| Career Rushing Touchdowns | ||
|---|---|---|
| 9. | Stan Brown (1968-70) | 19 |
| 10. | Otis Armstrong (1970-72) | 17 |
| Markell Jones (2015-P) | 17 |
In Purdue's 49-20 win over No. 2 Ohio State on Oct. 20, there were apparently only two options for the Boilermakers - score a touchdown or punt. On 12 offensive possessions, Purdue scored six touchdowns and punted on six others. Linebacker Markus Bailey added the defense to the mix with an interception return for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
Brohms AwayDavid 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 8.5 receptions per game is second in the FBS and first in the Big Ten … Moore ranks second in the FBS and first in the Big Ten with an average of 181.1 all-purpose yards per game ... Moore is tied for third in the nation and first in the Big Ten with 68 total receptions on the year … His 802 receiving yards for the season are second among all Big Ten players and 11th nationally.
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) | 1,246 | |
| Completions | |||
| 3. | Kyle Orton (2001-04) | 786 | |
| 4. | Mark Herrmann (1977-80) | 772 | |
| 5. | David Blough (2015-P) | 748 | |
| Passing Yards | |||
| 3. | Mark Herrmann (1977-80) | 9,946 | |
| 4. | Kyle Orton (2001-04) | 9,937 | |
| 5. | David Blough (2015-P) | 8,379 | |
| Passing Touchdowns | |||
| 3. | Curtis Painter (2005-08) | 67 | |
| 4. | Kyle Orton (2001-04) | 63 | |
| 5. | David Blough (2015-P) | 57 | |
| Total Offense | |||
| 3. | Kyle Orton (2001-04) | 9,653 | |
| 4. | Mark Herrmann (1977-80) | 9,134 | |
| 5. | David Blough (2015-P) | 8,644 |
For 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)
David Blough's one-yard touchdown rush at Nebraska on Sept. 29 improved his career total to 12. He needs four 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 |
The 1,222 combined yards amassed by Purdue and Missouri on Sept. 15 were the most shared with a Boilermaker opponent in school history. The Boilermakers and Nebraska combined for 1,098 total yards two weeks later in Lincoln. Ohio State joined the list with 1,085 combined markers Oct. 20.
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 |