SOUTH BEND — Another week, another long Purdue football lightning delay.
Another year, another lopsided Boilermaker loss to Notre Dame. The No. 21 Fighting Irish stormed to a 56-30 victory at Notre Dame Stadium — their 10th straight in the series over the past 18 years.
Purdue waited out a two-hour lightning delay late in the first half. It allowed a 100-yard kickoff return sandwiched between its own field goal and touchdown drive in those final 91 seconds.
Occasional flashes on offense and special teams could not overcome a 60-minute clinic on the perils of arm-tackling.
Here is what I liked, disliked and what Purdue’s loss to Notre Dame means.
What I liked in Purdue football’s loss at Notre Dame
Purdue football is bold again, and whether it works or not on a given play is beside the point.
Notre Dame had to be prepared for trickeration after it saw that attempted throw-back to the quarterback which turned into an accidental double-lateral for a touchdown against USC. The Boilers ran something similar for their first touchdown, with Devin Mockobee taking a handoff and completing a forward pass to Ryan Browne for a 14-yard score.
Then we finally saw James Shibest’s riverboard gambler come out. Jack McCallister lined up to punt on fourth-and-5, then pulled it down and ran for a 10-yard gain. That kept alive a field goal drive.
Purdue’s three-man rush struggled to get to CJ Carr throughout the first half. Then defensive coordinator Mike Scherer sent strong safety Myles Slusher on a first-down blitz, and his strip sack set up a chance for points before the lightning struck.
Calculated risks won’t always pay off, but these high-upside chances have gone Purdue’s way a lot early this season.
- Put Spencer Porath high on the list of players who made the most of the gap between freshman and sophomore year. The Brownsburg product made 7 of 11 field goals as a freshman. He’s 7-for-7 after connecting from 48, 26 and 35 in the first half Saturday. Purdue knows it can consistently score without ultimate success on drives, and that takes a lot of pressure off an offense.
- The three-and-out on offense and one-play touchdown drive on defense were about the worst possible start to the game. The upside was how the Boilers responded with explosive plays — a 23-yard receiving play to Mockobee and a 31-yard downfield strike to Nitro Tuggle. This team may lose, but it does not look inclined to fold.
What I disliked in Purdue football’s loss at Notre Dame
Where to start with the defensive performance?
Purdue’s ability to shift between three- and four-down fronts against USC showed it could, theoretically, adapt to varying matchups. Of course, the problem comes when you run into an offense which can exploit whatever look you give.
Notre Dame’s touchdown bomb over the top on its first snap understandably shook the Boilers. They shifted predominately to the three-man front, which Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price proceeded to carve up for a combined 231 yards and five touchdowns.
Even after bringing in the second string offense early in the fourth quarter, Notre Dame was still averaging 7 yards per carry. It averaged 8.3 per carry on first down. That’s an astonishing number — and a glaring point of emphasis now for Purdue.
Did the poor rush defense open the door for Notre Dame to hit on six explosive plays for a combined 193 yards? Or did the Irish’s ability to hit those game-breakers unfettered force the light box which gave up those big carries?
Does it really matter?
- The offensive line committing penalties on each of the first three drives. Jalen St. John’s unnecessary unsportsmanlike conduct flag killed the opening possession. Joey Tanona committed a red zone false start and negated a big gain with a hold on the next two.
- The running game’s underwhelming performance through three weeks reached a new low Saturday. As of early in the fourth quarter, Browne had scrambled three times for 26 yards — but those came as the result of passing plays. On conventional runs, discounting the Irish’s lone sack, Purdue totaled 32 yards on 18 carries.
What Purdue football’s loss at Notre Dame means
Purdue reaching its first idle week with a 2-2 record comes as no surprise. While the execution lacked at times against USC and Notre Dame, the fight did not.
Now comes a two-week chance to analyze, evaluate and tweak before taking on another tough assignment. Illinois took the No. 8 ranking into Saturday night’s game in Bloomington. The Illini should take no Purdue team lightly considering their recent history in the rivalry.
What did Saturday teach the Boilermakers, and how can they apply those lessons in two weeks?
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Purdue football likes, dislikes of loss at Notre Dame, score today, stats
