Purdue Falls to 0-3 with Loss to Unbeaten West Virginia
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- West Virginia's defense lived up to its billing, forcing four interceptions and limiting the Boilermakers to just 72 yards rushing in its 20-6 victory over Purdue. WVU led 3-0 at halftime on a Jay Taylor 37-yard field goal. The Mountaineers took advantage of a Billy Dicken interception and drove 47 yards on seven plays to lead 10-0 with 4:36 remaining in the third quarter. Edwin Watson's 12-yard run early in the fourth quarter cut the WVU lead to 10-6. The Mountaineers added another field goal and an 18-yard touchdown run by Amos Zereoue with 2:20 left sealed the win. WVU All-America candidate Rahsaan Vanterpool was the offensive star, grabbing eight passes for 110 yards. Both defenses played well as neither team recorded 300 total yards (West Virginia 279, Purdue 242). Purdue's Joe Hagins had a game-high 13 tackles (12 solo).
GAME NOTES: The Purdue-West Virginia game marked only the third night game in Ross-Ade Stadium history (the others were in 1986 vs. Ohio State, and in 1994 vs. Toledo)...Edwin Watson's 12-yard TD run in the fourth quarter broke a string of seven scoreless periods...linebacker Chris Koeppen had his first career carry on a fake punt with a 24-yard gain.
WEST VIRGINIA 20, PURDUE 6
Game 3, Sept. 21, 1996(Attendance -- 39,445)
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Purdue 0 0 6 0 -- 6
WVU 0 3 7 10 -- 20
SCORING SUMMARY
Second Quarter
WV: Taylor 37-yard field goal, 1:52
Third Quarter
WV: Zereoue 14-yard run (Taylor kick), 4:36
Fourth Quarter
PU: Watson 12-yard run (kick failed), 11:37
WV: Taylor 21-yard field goal, 2:35
WV: Zereoue 18-yard run (Taylor kick), 2:20
TEAM STATATISTICS PU WV
First Downs 13 17
Net Yards Rushing 34-72 35-95
Net Yards Passing 170 184
Passes (Att.-Comp.-Int.) 30-15-4 30-17-0
Total Net Yards 64-242 65-279
Possession Time 25:19 34:41
Punts 7-40.1 8-38.4
Penalties 10-66 8-74
Third Down Conversions 2-13 5-16
Total Turnovers 4 0
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing--Purdue: Watson 15-46, Koeppen 1-24, Haddad 4-12, Johnson
2-9, Matthews 2-1, Dicken 10-(-20). West Virginia: Zereoue 23-79,
Green 4-16, Plants 3-11, Mott 1-9, Johnston 4-(-20).
Passing--Purdue: Dicken 30-15-4 (0 TD), 170. West Virginia: Johnston
30-17-0 (0 TD), 184.
Receiving--Purdue: Tillman 4-48, Jewell 3-27, Watson 2-17, Alford
2-42, Olivadotti 2-23, Jones 1-8, Haddad 1-5. West Virginia:
Vanterpool 8-110, Saunders 4-33, Zereoue 3-1.
Tackle Leaders--Purdue: Hagins 13, Brown 9, Koeppen 7, Colvin 5. West
Virginia: Emanuel 10, Russ 9, Curtis 6, Logan 6.