Indiana 13, Purdue 7

By Greg Doddridge
Staff Writer
BLOOMINGTON – Purdue freshman quarterback Kyle Orton – in his first collegiate start – threw the ball relentlessly in the second half, but he could not quite overcome the rain or an Indiana’s 13-0 halftime lead.

The Hoosiers (4-6, 4-4 Big Ten) took possession of the Old Oaken Bucket and tore down the southern goalpost after they defeated the Boilermakers on Saturday, 13-7.

"We felt coming into this game, we could run the ball," said Purdue coach Joe Tiller. "But the field conditions forced us out of that."

Purdue ran the ball 18 times in the game and passed the ball 62 times. The running game netted an eight-yard loss.

The Boilers passed the ball 77.5 percent in the game. That is the highest percentage of pass plays called in a game this season for Purdue. Purdue had been running the ball 54.6 percent of the time before Saturday’s game.

Orton was 25-of-48 passing for 200 yards and one touchdown in the second half.

"We felt like (Indiana) was having a tough time covering our receivers," said Tiller. "The thing for us to do was to come out and wing the ball and get back to the old Purdue, which is pass until you get hot and once you get hot, keep passing."

Orton finished the game 31-of-62 (50 percent) passing for 263 yards.

But it was Indiana’s running game and Purdue’s lack of offense in the first half that doomed the Boilers (6-4, 4-4).

Indiana scored on its first possession on a 52-yard run from senior Levron Williams with 13:06 to go in the first quarter. Akin Ayodele had Indiana quarterback Antwaan Randle El wrapped-up, but Randle El managed to pitch the ball to Williams, who then ran left and back right on a slant ahead of four pursuing Purdue defenders. The Hoosiers’ first drive of the game lasted just 1:54 and only took five plays.

The Hoosiers drove 34 yards in eight plays in 2:30 and scored off of a 10-yard Randle El touchdown run on third and goal with 13:49 to go in second quarter after the Hoosiers recovered an Orton fumbled snap. But Indiana’s Adam Braucher missed the extra point and Indiana’s lead was 13-0.

Indiana controlled the clock in the first half, possessing the ball for 10:24 in the first 15 minutes. The Hoosiers finished the first half with 148 rushing yards on 28 carries. Purdue was unable to get any sustained drive going. The Boilers punted three times and fumbled the ball twice in the first half.

Purdue’s only realistic chance to score in the first half came on its final drive. Orton started passing the ball at will, going five of nine for 56 yards and he converted two third downs with passes. But Purdue stalled on a third down from the Indiana 24 and senior Travis Dorsch missed the 41-yard field goal attempt, which was deflected by an Indiana defender.

Purdue finished the first half with 13 rushes for negative three yards. Orton went six-of-14 passing for 63 yards in the first 30 minutes.

Purdue started the second half with the ball and drove down to the Indiana 33 after a 10-yard pass to Stratton on third-and-eight. But on the next play, senior Sedrick Brown fumbled the ball and Indiana’s A.C. Carter recovered it.

Indiana’s Jeremi Johnson then gave the ball back to Purdue after fumbling 11:03 to go in the third quarter. The Boilers’ Niko Koutouvides, a sophomore, recovered the ball.

On Purdue’s next play of its next drive, Orton found sophomore John Standeford in the endzone. Indiana’s Sharrod Wallace was covering Standeford tightly and Wallace was called for pass interference. That gave Purdue the ball at the Indiana 14. On the very next play, Orton found Standeford in the endzone for the touchdown reception. With Dorsch’s extra point, the score was 13-7 Indiana with 10:52 to go in the third quarter.

Purdue had a chance to score with 10:08 to go in the game, but junior Montrell Lowe was unable to put the ball across the goal line on fourth and goal. In that drive, Orton passed to convert on three third downs, all to different receivers. Orton was disappointed on not being able to score in the red zone.

"After having those real good drives that we had and then not getting any points out of them," said Orton. "That was the most disappointing part of it."

The Boilers had another chance late in the game to put the ball in the endzone. But several of Orton’s passes found no receivers and Indiana was awarded the ball on downs and it ran the clock out.

Senior tight end Tim Stratton led all Purdue receivers with nine receptions for 88 yards. Williams led the Hoosiers in rushing with 94 yards on 21 carries.

* Purdue will close out the regular season hosting Notre Dame at 4:30 p.m., Dec. 1.

Purdue-Indiana, Statistics

Purdue 0 / 0 / 7 / 0 – 7
Indiana 7 / 6 /0 / 0 – 13

First Quarter
Indiana – L. Williams 52 run (Braucher kick), 13:06.

Second Quarter
Indiana – Randle El 10 run (kick failed), 13:49.

Third Quarter
Purdue-Standeford 14 pass from Orton (Dorsch kick), 10:52.

Fourth Quarter
No scoring

Attendance-36,685.

Purdue / Indiana

First downs 21 / 16
Rushes-yards 18-(-8) / 51-204
Passing 263 / 96
Comp-Att-Int 31-62-0 / 7-19-1
Return Yards 22 / 0
Punts-Avg. 6-37.3 / 6-31.0
Fumbles-Lost 6-2 / 3-2
Penalties-Yards 3-35 / 8-75
Time of Possession 25:38 / 34:22

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
Purdue, Lowe 5-10, Brown 2-10, J. Harris 3-0, Orton 7-(-13), Team 1-(-15). Indiana, L. Williams 21-94, Randle El 16-66, J. Johnson 10-53, Team 4-(-9).

PASSING
Purdue, Orton 31-62-0-263. Indiana, Randle El 7-19-1-96.

RECEIVING
Purdue, Stratton 9-88, Morales 7-49, Stubblefield 6-54, Standeford 5-54, Lowe 1-10, James 1-5, J. Harris 1-3, Brown 1-0. Indiana, L. Williams 2-33, Haney 2-27, Roby 2-22, Halterman 1-14.

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Sports editor:
Paul Trembacki

Assistant sports editor:
Doug Healey

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