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Bowl Central
Music City Bowl
Tickets: From the Bowl / StubHub
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Following an 0-3 start to the 2018 season, the notion of Purdue playing in a bowl game was farfetched in most people's minds.
The belief, however, remained steadfast with the players and coaches, and they were rewarded. The Boilermakers (6-6) play Auburn (7-5) in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl on Friday. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. local time), and the game will be televised by ESPN.
Head coach Jeff Brohm took on a more aggressive approach that led to six wins in the Boilermakers' final nine games. Three victories came over ranked opponents: No. 2 Ohio State (49-20), No. 23 Boston College (30-13) and No. 19 Iowa (38-36). In the season finale, Purdue defeated Indiana 28-21 to retain the Old Oaken Bucket for the second straight season.
The Boilermakers wound up tied for second place in the Big Ten Conference West Division (with Iowa and Wisconsin) with a 5-4 mark, their first winning conference campaign since 2006 and highest finish since divisional alignment began in 2013.
Led by senior quarterback David Blough and sparked by freshman wide receiver Rondale Moore, the Boilermakers are averaging 31.9 points per game - their most since 2007 - and 459.0 yards of total offense, which is just shy of the school record (462.0).
Blough, one of three finalists for the Wuerffel Trophy (presented to the college football player that best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement), is enjoying his best season. He has completed 66.6 percent of his passes and compiled a 151.8 passing efficiency rating - both school records - while ranking second in the Big Ten with an average of 293.4 passing yards per game (10th nationally) and 25 passing touchdowns.
Moore earned consensus All-American honors and the Paul Hornung Award as the most versatile player in college football. The Big Ten Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year and the Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year, he leads the nation with 103 receptions, tops the conference with 1,164 receiving yards and ranks fourth nationally with 2,048 all-purpose yards.
Another key to the offensive arsenal is senior running back D.J. Knox, who paces Purdue with 868 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns - both the most by a Boilermaker since 2015.
Junior linebacker Markus Bailey is the kingpin of a youth-laden defense. He has amassed a team-leading 104 tackles and 5.5 sacks and ranks second with 8.0 tackles for loss. Bailey earned second-team All-Big Ten honors by the conference coaches. Other defensive leaders for the Boilermakers are senior safety Jacob Thieneman (71 tackles and five pass breakups in nine games) and junior safety Navon Mosley (89 tackles).
Senior kicker Spencer Evans, whose 25-yard field goal beat Iowa, ranks second in the Big Ten with 18 field goals. Classmate punter Joe Schopper is sixth in the conference with an average of 43.1 yards per punt. Of his 56 attempts, 27 have been fair caught (48 percent) and 21 have come to rest inside the opponent's 20-yard line (38 percent).
#BoilerNotes
* On Thursday, the Boilermakers took part in their final walk-thru, took a team photo at the Gaylord Opryland and attended the bowl coaches luncheon. Tyler Trent was recognized as the game's honorary captain, and he is planning to participate in the pregame coin toss. Head coach Jeff Brohm and the team's four coordinators - Brian Brohm, Nick Holt, Anthony Poindexter and JaMarcus Shephard - partook in a press conference.
* Purdue is scheduled to depart its hotel at 9:50 a.m. CT on Friday. Those returning to campus via plane after the game should arrive at the Purdue Airport around 9 p.m. ET.
Bowl Central
Music City Bowl
Tickets: From the Bowl / StubHub
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Following an 0-3 start to the 2018 season, the notion of Purdue playing in a bowl game was farfetched in most people's minds.
The belief, however, remained steadfast with the players and coaches, and they were rewarded. The Boilermakers (6-6) play Auburn (7-5) in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl on Friday. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. local time), and the game will be televised by ESPN.
Head coach Jeff Brohm took on a more aggressive approach that led to six wins in the Boilermakers' final nine games. Three victories came over ranked opponents: No. 2 Ohio State (49-20), No. 23 Boston College (30-13) and No. 19 Iowa (38-36). In the season finale, Purdue defeated Indiana 28-21 to retain the Old Oaken Bucket for the second straight season.
The Boilermakers wound up tied for second place in the Big Ten Conference West Division (with Iowa and Wisconsin) with a 5-4 mark, their first winning conference campaign since 2006 and highest finish since divisional alignment began in 2013.
Honor the Commitment ??
— Purdue Football (@BoilerFootball) December 27, 2018
24 hours @MusicCityBowl #BoilerUp ?? #LetsPlayFootball pic.twitter.com/ySKD4xNubF
Led by senior quarterback David Blough and sparked by freshman wide receiver Rondale Moore, the Boilermakers are averaging 31.9 points per game - their most since 2007 - and 459.0 yards of total offense, which is just shy of the school record (462.0).
Blough, one of three finalists for the Wuerffel Trophy (presented to the college football player that best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement), is enjoying his best season. He has completed 66.6 percent of his passes and compiled a 151.8 passing efficiency rating - both school records - while ranking second in the Big Ten with an average of 293.4 passing yards per game (10th nationally) and 25 passing touchdowns.
Moore earned consensus All-American honors and the Paul Hornung Award as the most versatile player in college football. The Big Ten Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year and the Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year, he leads the nation with 103 receptions, tops the conference with 1,164 receiving yards and ranks fourth nationally with 2,048 all-purpose yards.
Another key to the offensive arsenal is senior running back D.J. Knox, who paces Purdue with 868 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns - both the most by a Boilermaker since 2015.
Junior linebacker Markus Bailey is the kingpin of a youth-laden defense. He has amassed a team-leading 104 tackles and 5.5 sacks and ranks second with 8.0 tackles for loss. Bailey earned second-team All-Big Ten honors by the conference coaches. Other defensive leaders for the Boilermakers are senior safety Jacob Thieneman (71 tackles and five pass breakups in nine games) and junior safety Navon Mosley (89 tackles).
Senior kicker Spencer Evans, whose 25-yard field goal beat Iowa, ranks second in the Big Ten with 18 field goals. Classmate punter Joe Schopper is sixth in the conference with an average of 43.1 yards per punt. Of his 56 attempts, 27 have been fair caught (48 percent) and 21 have come to rest inside the opponent's 20-yard line (38 percent).
#BoilerNotes
* On Thursday, the Boilermakers took part in their final walk-thru, took a team photo at the Gaylord Opryland and attended the bowl coaches luncheon. Tyler Trent was recognized as the game's honorary captain, and he is planning to participate in the pregame coin toss. Head coach Jeff Brohm and the team's four coordinators - Brian Brohm, Nick Holt, Anthony Poindexter and JaMarcus Shephard - partook in a press conference.
* Purdue is scheduled to depart its hotel at 9:50 a.m. CT on Friday. Those returning to campus via plane after the game should arrive at the Purdue Airport around 9 p.m. ET.
Thank you @MusicCityBowl for honoring our guy @theTylerTrent! He is truly a member of our team and family.#BoilerUp ???? #TylerStrong pic.twitter.com/e79qHA8JNd
— Purdue Football (@BoilerFootball) December 27, 2018