WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – After opening the season with a Thursday night Big Ten battle, Purdue Football returns to the gridiron for a Saturday non-conference matchup. The Boilermakers host Indiana State to begin a stretch of three straight non-conference contests. Kickoff from Ross-Ade Stadium is set for 4 p.m. ET.
Purdue leads the all-time series 5-0 with all five victories coming in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers and Sycamores last met in 2015, a 38-14 Purdue victory (Sept. 12, 2015). The first in-state matchup occurred 96 years ago when the Boilermakers shutout Indiana State 38-0.
SEASON-OPENING NUGGETS
• After throwing for 360 yards against Penn State to eclipse 6,000 yards for his career, Aidan O'Connell is one touchdown away from becoming the seventh quarterback in Purdue history to throw 45 touchdowns.
• Behind the arm of O'Connell, Purdue leads the Big Ten in passing offense and ranks 14th nationally (360.0 yards per game).
• Charlie Jones' 153 receiving yards in the season opener were the most ever by a Boilermaker making his Purdue debut.
• Fourteen Boilermakers made their Purdue debuts in the season opener against Penn State: Cole Brevard, Elijah Canion, Nic Caraway, Sione Finau, Jah'von Grigsby, Bryce Hampton, Scotty Humpich, Joseph Jefferson, Daniel Johnson, Charlie Jones, Kobe Lewis, Mo Omonode, Reese Taylor, Tyrone Tracy.
• The Boilermakers are in the midst of playing three of their four September games at home, while October feature three of four games on the road.
MR. JONES AND HIS NEW OFFENSE
• Wide receiver Charlie Jones transferred to Purdue in hopes of showcasing his abilities. It's safe to say he enjoyed his first game playing in Jeff Brohm's offense.
• After making just 21 catches for 323 yards during the entire 2021 season at Iowa, Jones hauled in 12 catches for 153 yards in Thursday's season opener against Penn State.
• Jones set new career highs in both categories, and his 153 receiving yards were the most by a Boilermaker in a debut in program history.
• With 12 catches in the opener, the Purdue wideout tops the nation in receptions per game.
• He ended the night with 196 all-purpose yards (153 receiving, 43 kick return) to lead all Big Ten players.
AIDAN ADDING TO HIS LEGACY
• Beginning his career as a walk-on and eighth on the quarterback depth chart, Aidan O'Connell worked his way up to the starting role and didn't stop there. The sixth-year QB has etched his name in the school record books, and he continued to rise up the career charts following the season opener against Penn State.
• Kicking off the 2022 season, O'Connell threw for 365 yards to become the seventh Purdue quarterback to record more than 6,000 passing yards for a career.
• O'Connell now has nine 350-yard passing games; only Drew Brees has more (12).
• The Long Grove, Illinois, native threw his 44th career passing touchdown to make him one touchdown away from becoming the seventh Purdue quarterback to throw 45 touchdowns.
THE RECONNECTION
• Playing youth football together, Aidan O'Connell and Charlie Jones were reunited at Purdue this offseason. Years passed since they were teammates, but you would not have known it in Thursday's season opener versus Penn State.
• O'Connell found Jones 12 times and the duo connected for 153 yards through the air. The 12 catches and 153 yards were new career highs for Jones, making his Purdue debut after stops at Buffalo and Iowa.
• Jones was the target receiver on 19 of O'Connell's 60 passes.
• Late in the third quarter, a 7-yard touchdown pass from O'Connell to Jones gave Purdue the lead.
A KINGLY START
• King Doerue opened the 2022 campaign with a pair of touchdowns on the ground against Penn State.
• The Amarillo, Texas, native rushed for 57 yards on 15 carries.
• The multi-touchdown game was the second of his career and matched his total rushing touchdown output from a season ago.
AGAINST THE FCS
• Purdue will face an FCS opponent for the first time since 2016 when it won 45-24 over Eastern Kentucky in the season opener.
• The Big Ten Conference announced a scheduling rule in 2015 that did not permit league teams from playing FCS opposition, a decision that was reversed in 2017.
• From 2006 to 2016, the Boilermakers faced an FCS opponent every season except for 2009.
• The Boilermakers have faced Indiana State three of those games.
CHRIS' PICK SIX
• Chris Jefferson made the most of his first start at Purdue with a 72-yard interception return for a touchdown against Penn State in the fourth quarter, which gave Purdue a 31-28 lead at the time.
• Jefferson's pick six was the second of his career, following a 92-yard score when he played at Findlay against Walsh in the spring of 2021. He finished the spring campaign as the G-MAC Defensive Player of the Year and First Team AP Division II All-America.
• Jefferson now has 14 interceptions in his career.
• The interception return for a touchdown was the 54th by a Boilermaker since 1950 and sixth longest since 2001 and fifth of the Brohm era.
BOILERMAKER CONNECTIONS
• Defensive lineman Lawrence Johnson and Indiana State quarterback Michael Haupert, defensive lineman Gianini Belizaire and defensive back Ethan Hoover played together at Fort Wayne Snider.
• Defensive lineman Sulaiman Kpaka and Indiana State Michael Lufile played high school ball together at Grand Prairie in Texas.
• Running back Will Chapman, linebackers Hudson Miller and Farrell Henderson III and defensive end Jayden Scruggs played at Cathedral with Daijon Collins.
• Kickoff man Chris Van Eekeren and Indiana State defensive back JP Osafo played together at Chesterton High School.
• Safety Joseph Jefferson II and Indiana State offensive lineman Loic Amouzouvi played together at Pike.
• Offensive lineman Eric Miller and defensive lineman Casey Miller played together at William Mason in Ohio.
• Indiana State assistant head coach and defensive line coach Mark Smith earned his bachelor's degree from Purdue in 1979.
• Purdue co-defensive coordinator/defensive line Mark Hagen was on staff with Indiana State safeties coach Wolfgang Shafer when the latter was a graduate assistant in 2020 at Texas.
WEEK 2 HONORARY CAPTAINS
• Two legendary Boilermakers return to West Lafayette as honorary captains for Week 2 in Kyle Orton and Keena Turner.
• Orton, a member of the Cradle of Quarterbacks, threw for 9,337 yards and 63 touchdowns during his career from 2001-04.
• The 2004 First Team All-Big Ten honoree then embarked on an 11-year NFL career that saw him throw for 18,037 yards and 101 touchdowns.
• Turner was a two-time First Team All-Big Ten honoree from 1976 to 1979.
• A member of the Den of Defensive Ends and the Purdue Hall of Fame, Turner won four Super Bowls as a member of the San Francisco 49ers.
• Since 2001, he has served various roles for the 49ers and is currently the vice president and senior advisor to the general manager.
Purdue leads the all-time series 5-0 with all five victories coming in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers and Sycamores last met in 2015, a 38-14 Purdue victory (Sept. 12, 2015). The first in-state matchup occurred 96 years ago when the Boilermakers shutout Indiana State 38-0.
SEASON-OPENING NUGGETS
• After throwing for 360 yards against Penn State to eclipse 6,000 yards for his career, Aidan O'Connell is one touchdown away from becoming the seventh quarterback in Purdue history to throw 45 touchdowns.
• Behind the arm of O'Connell, Purdue leads the Big Ten in passing offense and ranks 14th nationally (360.0 yards per game).
• Charlie Jones' 153 receiving yards in the season opener were the most ever by a Boilermaker making his Purdue debut.
• Fourteen Boilermakers made their Purdue debuts in the season opener against Penn State: Cole Brevard, Elijah Canion, Nic Caraway, Sione Finau, Jah'von Grigsby, Bryce Hampton, Scotty Humpich, Joseph Jefferson, Daniel Johnson, Charlie Jones, Kobe Lewis, Mo Omonode, Reese Taylor, Tyrone Tracy.
• The Boilermakers are in the midst of playing three of their four September games at home, while October feature three of four games on the road.
MR. JONES AND HIS NEW OFFENSE
• Wide receiver Charlie Jones transferred to Purdue in hopes of showcasing his abilities. It's safe to say he enjoyed his first game playing in Jeff Brohm's offense.
• After making just 21 catches for 323 yards during the entire 2021 season at Iowa, Jones hauled in 12 catches for 153 yards in Thursday's season opener against Penn State.
• Jones set new career highs in both categories, and his 153 receiving yards were the most by a Boilermaker in a debut in program history.
• With 12 catches in the opener, the Purdue wideout tops the nation in receptions per game.
• He ended the night with 196 all-purpose yards (153 receiving, 43 kick return) to lead all Big Ten players.
AIDAN ADDING TO HIS LEGACY
• Beginning his career as a walk-on and eighth on the quarterback depth chart, Aidan O'Connell worked his way up to the starting role and didn't stop there. The sixth-year QB has etched his name in the school record books, and he continued to rise up the career charts following the season opener against Penn State.
• Kicking off the 2022 season, O'Connell threw for 365 yards to become the seventh Purdue quarterback to record more than 6,000 passing yards for a career.
• O'Connell now has nine 350-yard passing games; only Drew Brees has more (12).
• The Long Grove, Illinois, native threw his 44th career passing touchdown to make him one touchdown away from becoming the seventh Purdue quarterback to throw 45 touchdowns.
THE RECONNECTION
• Playing youth football together, Aidan O'Connell and Charlie Jones were reunited at Purdue this offseason. Years passed since they were teammates, but you would not have known it in Thursday's season opener versus Penn State.
• O'Connell found Jones 12 times and the duo connected for 153 yards through the air. The 12 catches and 153 yards were new career highs for Jones, making his Purdue debut after stops at Buffalo and Iowa.
• Jones was the target receiver on 19 of O'Connell's 60 passes.
• Late in the third quarter, a 7-yard touchdown pass from O'Connell to Jones gave Purdue the lead.
A KINGLY START
• King Doerue opened the 2022 campaign with a pair of touchdowns on the ground against Penn State.
• The Amarillo, Texas, native rushed for 57 yards on 15 carries.
• The multi-touchdown game was the second of his career and matched his total rushing touchdown output from a season ago.
AGAINST THE FCS
• Purdue will face an FCS opponent for the first time since 2016 when it won 45-24 over Eastern Kentucky in the season opener.
• The Big Ten Conference announced a scheduling rule in 2015 that did not permit league teams from playing FCS opposition, a decision that was reversed in 2017.
• From 2006 to 2016, the Boilermakers faced an FCS opponent every season except for 2009.
• The Boilermakers have faced Indiana State three of those games.
CHRIS' PICK SIX
• Chris Jefferson made the most of his first start at Purdue with a 72-yard interception return for a touchdown against Penn State in the fourth quarter, which gave Purdue a 31-28 lead at the time.
• Jefferson's pick six was the second of his career, following a 92-yard score when he played at Findlay against Walsh in the spring of 2021. He finished the spring campaign as the G-MAC Defensive Player of the Year and First Team AP Division II All-America.
• Jefferson now has 14 interceptions in his career.
• The interception return for a touchdown was the 54th by a Boilermaker since 1950 and sixth longest since 2001 and fifth of the Brohm era.
BOILERMAKER CONNECTIONS
• Defensive lineman Lawrence Johnson and Indiana State quarterback Michael Haupert, defensive lineman Gianini Belizaire and defensive back Ethan Hoover played together at Fort Wayne Snider.
• Defensive lineman Sulaiman Kpaka and Indiana State Michael Lufile played high school ball together at Grand Prairie in Texas.
• Running back Will Chapman, linebackers Hudson Miller and Farrell Henderson III and defensive end Jayden Scruggs played at Cathedral with Daijon Collins.
• Kickoff man Chris Van Eekeren and Indiana State defensive back JP Osafo played together at Chesterton High School.
• Safety Joseph Jefferson II and Indiana State offensive lineman Loic Amouzouvi played together at Pike.
• Offensive lineman Eric Miller and defensive lineman Casey Miller played together at William Mason in Ohio.
• Indiana State assistant head coach and defensive line coach Mark Smith earned his bachelor's degree from Purdue in 1979.
• Purdue co-defensive coordinator/defensive line Mark Hagen was on staff with Indiana State safeties coach Wolfgang Shafer when the latter was a graduate assistant in 2020 at Texas.
WEEK 2 HONORARY CAPTAINS
• Two legendary Boilermakers return to West Lafayette as honorary captains for Week 2 in Kyle Orton and Keena Turner.
• Orton, a member of the Cradle of Quarterbacks, threw for 9,337 yards and 63 touchdowns during his career from 2001-04.
• The 2004 First Team All-Big Ten honoree then embarked on an 11-year NFL career that saw him throw for 18,037 yards and 101 touchdowns.
• Turner was a two-time First Team All-Big Ten honoree from 1976 to 1979.
• A member of the Den of Defensive Ends and the Purdue Hall of Fame, Turner won four Super Bowls as a member of the San Francisco 49ers.
• Since 2001, he has served various roles for the 49ers and is currently the vice president and senior advisor to the general manager.