The Boilermakers are back under the lights Saturday night. A 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff against SEC foe Missouri highlights Military Appreciation Day.
Series History- Purdue leads 7-2
- In West Lafayette: Purdue leads 4-0
- In Columbia: Tied 1-1
- At Neutral Site: Purdue leads 2-1
- First Meeting: Oct. 19, 1895 – Missouri won 16-6 in St. Louis
- Last Meeting: Sept. 16, 2017 – Purdue won 35-3 on the road
Noteworthy: The Boilermakers' victory at Missouri last season was their most resounding on the road since a 47-13 win at Central Florida on Sept. 4, 1999. The three points surrendered were the fewest since a 59-0 win over Southeast Missouri on Sept. 17, 2011; the fewest to an FBS opponent since a 37-3 win over Illinois on Nov. 12, 2005; and the fewest on the road since a 48-3 win at Illinois on Oct. 25, 1997.
Purdue Against the Southeastern ConferenceThe Boilermakers are 2-4 against Southeastern Conference opponents (1-2 in the regular season and 1-2 in bowl games). The only SEC school to play previously at Ross-Ade Stadium was Vanderbilt on Sept. 27, 1941, and the Commodores won 3-0. Purdue and Vanderbilt are scheduled to play Sept. 7, 2019, in West Lafayette and Sept. 8, 2029, in Nashville, Tennessee.
| SEC Opponent | Purdue Record |
|---|---|
| Georgia | 0-2 |
| Missouri | 1-0 |
| Tennessee | 1-0 |
| Vanderbilt | 0-2 |
The Boilermakers are averaging a FBS-best 8.1 yards per carry through the first two games. Purdue's 271.5 yards per game ranks 24th among all FBS schools. Individually, fifth-year senior D.J. Knox checks in 23rd nationally and third in the Big Ten with 229 total rushing yards and 24th nationally and fifth in the Big Ten with an average of 114.5 yards rushing per game … Knox's 8.2 yards per carry average is 13th nationally and first in the Big Ten … The Boilermakers' 341 rushing yards against Eastern Michigan last Saturday were their most since amassing 349 at Illinois on Oct. 4, 2014.
Sparks Will FlyWhat happens when one brother knows where he's going and the other doesn't? Football fans will learn the answer to that question Saturday when Purdue wide receiver Jared Sparks lines up against Missouri cornerback and younger brother, Adam. Jared enters the contest with seven receptions for 87 yards, while Adam has five tackles, including one for loss, on the year.
Repressing the RunThe Boilermakers limited Eastern Michigan to 69 rushing yards, the sixth time a Purdue team has kept an opponent under 100 yards in 15 games under head coach Jeff Brohm.
Passing a LegendWith 12 carries for 109 yards against Eastern Michigan last weekend, 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 2,193 yards in his four-year Boilermaker career.
| Career Rushing Yards | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8. | Corey Rogers (1991-95) | 2,436 |
| 9. | Jerod Void (2002-05) | 2,429 |
| 10. | Markell Jones (2015-P) | 2,193 |
| Rushing Attempts | ||
|---|---|---|
| 10. | Harry Szulborski (1946-49) | 478 |
| 11. | John Macon (1977-80) | 471 |
| 12. | Markell Jones (2015-P) | 453 |
Senior running back Markell Jones' seven-yard touchdown reception against Eastern Michigan was the 17th total touchdown of his career (15 rushing, two receiving). That mark leaves him just outside of the top 20 all-time in school history.
| 19. | Jimmy Smith (1979-81) | 18 |
| Calvin Williams (1986-89) | 18 | |
| Antavian Edison (2009-12) | 18 | |
| --. | Markell Jones | 17 |
When D.J. Knox (152) and Markell Jones (109) both topped the century mark in rushing yards against Eastern Michigan last weekend 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 (still) 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 … It is also the longest rush by a Big Ten player through the first two weeks of the season … Moore's average of seven receptions per game is tied for 19th in the FBS and tied for second in the Big Ten … Moore ranks seventh in the FBS and second in the Big Ten with an average of 188 all-purpose yards per game.
Don't BlinkFreshman Rondale Moore has held the football 25 times in his two-game collegiate career and is averaging a little over 15 yards per touch. He has caught a team-high 14 passes for 125 yards, four carries for 128 yards, six kick returns for 123 yards and a punt return for no gain entering the Missouri game.
Higgins Comes ThroughJunior defensive end Kai Higgins had his finest day in a Purdue uniform against Eastern Michigan with two tackles, including a sack, a pass breakup and an interception.
Behind Enemy LinesSophomore linebacker Cornel Jones has played in the opposition's backfield more often than not this season. Through the first two games, Jones has tallied a FBS-best 6.5 tackles for loss, including 2.5 sacks.
Moving Up the ChartsFifth-year senior David Blough continues to climb further into the Purdue career record book:
| Passing Attempts | |||
| 4. | Mark Herrman (1977-80) | 1,309 | |
| 5. | Scott Campbell (1980-83) | 1,060 | |
| 6. | David Blough (2015-P) | 993 | |
| Completions | |||
| 4. | Mark Herrman (1977-80) | 772 | |
| 5. | Scott Campbell (1980-83) | 609 | |
| 6. | David Blough (2015-P) | 584 | |
| Passing Yards | |||
| 5. | Scott Campbell (1980-83) | 7,636 | |
| 6. | Jim Everett (1981-85) | 7,411 | |
| 7. | David Blough (2015-P) | 6,151 | |
| Passing Touchdowns | |||
| 4. | Kyle Orton (2001-04) | 63 | |
| 5. | Scott Campbell (1980-83) | 45 | |
| 6. | David Blough (2015-P) | 44 | |
| Passing Attempts | |||
| 4. | Mark Hermmann (1977-80) | 1,309 | |
| 5. | Scott Campbell (1980-83) | 1,060 | |
| 6. | David Blough (2015-P) | 983 | |
| Completions | |||
| 4. | Mark Hermmann (1977-80) | 772 | |
| 5. | Scott Campbell (1980-83) | 609 | |
| 6. | David Blough (2015-P) | 578 | |
| Passing Yards | |||
| 5. | Scott Campbell (1980-83) | 7,636 | |
| 6. | Jim Everett (1981-85) | 7,411 | |
| 7. | David Blough (2015-P) | 6,103 |
The Boilermakers open the 2018 season with four straight home games at Ross-Ade Stadium. The last time Purdue hosted the first four games of a year was 2006 (Indiana State, Miami (Ohio), Ball State and Minnesota).
Team CaptainsEight 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.