Link: Full Game Notes (Huskers.com)
WHEN: Saturday, October 30 | 2:30 PM (CT)
WHERE: Memorial Stadium | Lincoln, Nebraska
TV: ESPN2 (Roy Philpott, Kelly Stouffer, Lauren Sisler)
Radio: Huskers Radio Network (Greg Sharpe, Matt Davison, Jeremiah Sirles, Jessica Coody)
This Week's Numbers
7 - The Nebraska passing game has been much improved and more explosive in 2021. The Huskers are averaging 9.47 yards per pass attempt to rank seventh in the nation in that category. Nebraska is on pace to set a school record in that category in 2021.
20 - Tight end Austin Allen has six receptions of 20 or more yards this season, with five of those in the past two games. His six catches of 20-plus yards lead all Big Ten tight ends. He ranks among the top three among Big Ten tight ends in receptions, receptions per game, yards per catch and total receiving yards.
18 - Cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt has played his best football the past two weeks, combining for 18 tackles. Taylor-Britt also has an interception, three pass breakups, two TFL, and a sack in the past two games.
HUSKERS
Record: 3-5 (1-4 Big Ten)
Last Game: at Minnesota (L 23-30)
Rankings: NR
Coach: Scott Frost (34-32, 6th year | 15-25, 4th year at NU)
BOILERMAKERS
Record: 4-3 (2-2 Big Ten)
Last Game: vs. Wisconsin (L 13-30)
Rankings: NR
Coach: Jeff Brohm (53-38, 8th year | 23-28 5th year at PUR)
Nebraska returns to Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon to begin a two-game homestand in Lincoln. The Huskers will play host to the Purdue Boilermakers in a Big Ten West battle, with kickoff set for shortly after 2:30 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and heard on the Huskers Radio Network.
Nebraska is coming off a bye week and begins the homestretch of the season, which includes three of the final four games in Lincoln. Nebraska enters the Purdue game with a 3-5 overall record, including a 1-4 mark in Big Ten play, after a 30-23 setback at Minnesota on Oct. 16. The Huskers rallied from a 12-point deficit, but could not convert on multiple red-zone chances in the road setback. Each of Nebraska's five losses this season have come by eight or fewer points.
Purdue heads to Lincoln with a 4-3 overall record, including a 2-2 mark in Big Ten play. Purdue's past three games have come against a tough Big Ten West stretch of Minnesota, Cockeye and Wisconsin. The highlight of that run for Purdue was a dominant 24-7 victory at then-No. 2 Cockeye on Oct. 16, pushing the Boilermakers into the national rankings, before a home loss to Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon.
Coach Jeff Brohm's team features one of the nation's most improved defensive units. Purdue allows 301.6 total yards and just 16.3 points per game to rank in the top four in the Big Ten in both of those categories. Offensively, the Boilermakers once again feature one of the nation's top passing attacks, averaging 317.6 yards per game through the air, which ranks second in the Big Ten and 12th nationally. Receiver David Bell ranks sixth nationally in receiving yards per game at 118.7 yards per contest, including a 240-yard effort at Cockeye.
Series History
Nebraska and Purdue will meet on Saturday for the 10th time overall and the ninth time as Big Ten opponents. Nebraska owns a 5-4 edge in the series, including a 2-1 advantage in Lincoln.
- It marks the ninth straight season the Huskers have met Purdue, including the past eight years with both schools in the Big Ten West Division.
- Before the first meeting after Nebraska joined the Big Ten, the schools had played just once previously, a 28-0 Purdue win in 1958
- Nebraska's victory last season at Purdue was on Dec. 5, marking the Huskers' first regular-season victory in December since 1992
- Nebraska held Purdue to minus-2 yards in last year's game, the fewest by a Nebraska opponent in seven seasons.
- Nebraska has scored at least 25 points in all eight meetings since 2013, including four games with 35 points or more.
Nebraska vs. Purdue Big Ten History
2013: Nebraska 44, Purdue 7 (West Lafayette)
2014: #17 Nebraska 35, Purdue 14 (Lincoln)
2015: Purdue 55, Nebraska 45 (West Lafayette)
2016: #8 Nebraska 27, Purdue 14 (Lincoln)
2017: Nebraska 25, Purdue 24 (West Lafayette)
2018: Purdue 42, Nebraska 28 (Lincoln)
2019: Purdue 31, Nebraska 27 (West Lafayette)
2020: Nebraska 37, Purdue 27 (West Lafayette)
About Purdue
Purdue owns a winning all-time record since the program's first season in 1887. A founding member of the Big Ten Conference, Purdue has totaled 12 conference championships. Their most recent Big Ten title came in 2000. The Boilermakers have gone undefeated five times in program history. Purdue has a winning record in one of four seasons under coach Jeff Brohm. The Boilermakers have played in 19 bowl games in their history, including two Rose Bowls. In the last full season in 2019, Purdue went 4-8 and finished 3-6 in the Big Ten
First Year: 1887
All-Time Record: 624-582-48
Bowl Record: 10-9
Conference Titles: 12
National Titles: 0
Stadium: Ross-Ade Stadium
Capacity: 57,236
Playing Surface: Natural Grass
Location: West Lafayette, Indiana
Enrollment: 34,920
Colors: Black & Gold
About 2021 Purdue
Purdue holds a 4-3 record and a 2-2 Big Ten mark in 2021. The Boilermakers opened their season against Oregon State, winning 30-21. In Week 2, Purdue traveled to UConn where they shut out the Huskies 49-0. The Boilermakers took their first loss in Week 4 with a 27-13 setback at No. 7 Notre Dame. In Week 5, Purdue lost its first Big Ten game, falling to Minnesota 20-13. The Boilermakers upset No. 2 Cockeye in Week 6, winning 24-7. Purdue hosted Wisconsin in Week 7, falling 30-13.
Aidan O'Connell has completed 120-of-172 passes for 1,318 yards and seven touchdowns, while Jack Plummer has contributed seven touchdowns as well, completing 86-of-126 passes for 832 yards. Receiver David Bell is a major weapon for the Purdue offense, totaling 44 receptions on the year for 712 yards and four TDs.
Defensively, Purdue ranks fourth in the conference in total defense, allowing 301.6 yards per game. The Boilermakers feature the best pass defense in the league, allowing only 160 passing yards per game. Jaylan Alexander leads the Boilermakers with 52 tackles and four tackles for loss.
2021 Purdue Schedule/Results
Oregon State (W 30-21)
at Connecticut (W 49-0)
at Notre Dame (L 13-27)
Illinois (W 13-9)
Minnesota (L 13-20)
at Cockeye (W 24-7)
Wisconsin (L 13-30)
at Nebraska
Michigan State
at Ohio State
at Northwestern
Indiana
About Jeff Brohm
Jeff Brohm is in his fifth season at Purdue and eighth season overall as a head coach. He boasts a career record of 53-38 and a record at Purdue of 23-28 (15-21 Big Ten).
Prior to Brohm arriving in West Lafayette, Purdue had a combined nine wins in four seasons. In Brohm's first season with the Boilermakers, the team won seven games and captured each of its rivalry trophies (the Cannon and the Old Oaken Bucket).
Brohm served as head coach at Western Kentucky from 2014 to 2016 and compiled a 30-10 record with the Hilltoppers. Before becoming a head coach, Brohm had short stints at Alabama-Birmingham, Illinois, Florida Atlantic and Louisville as a quarterbacks coach, assistant head coach and offensive coordinator.
The 50-year-old Brohm is a native of Louisville, Kentucky and graduated from the University of Louisville, where he played quarterback for the Cardinals and graduated in 1994. He spent seven years in the NFL as quarterback for several different teams.
Brohm also spent a little time in professional baseball. He was drafted out of high school in the seventh round of the 1989 MLB Draft by the Montreal Expos. After deciding to turn down the baseball offer for college football, he spent his college summers playing minor league baseball.
Last Meeting: December 5, 2020
Nebraska 37, Purdue 27
West Lafayette, IN - In a hard-fought football game between two hungry teams, Nebraska got off to a great start on the road, then made enough plays down the stretch to earn a 37-27 win over Purdue at Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Nebraska got contributions in all three phases of the game to improve to 2-4 on the season while dropping Purdue to 2-4. The Huskers jumped out to a quick 17-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the game, sparked by an opening defensive stop followed by a blocked punt.
The Brendan Cropsey punt, which was blocked by Levi Falck, was recovered by Simon Otte at the Purdue 1-yard-line, setting up a one-yard Dedrick Mills touchdown on Nebraska's first offensive play of the game to give the Big Red a 7-0 lead.
The Blackshirts came through with a quick three-and-out on Purdue's second offensive possession and after a 36-yard Zac Collins punt, Cam Taylor-Britt weaved his way with a 27-yard punt return. The Huskers also benefited from a 15-yard Purdue penalty on the return, setting the offense up with 1st-and-10 at the Boilermaker 17. Three plays later, Adrian Martinez battled his way to the end zone from 13 yards out to give Nebraska a 14-0 lead less than five minutes into the game.
The Blackshirts flexed their muscles again on Purdue's next possession, forcing another three-and-out that included a pair of tackles for loss including a six-yard-sack by senior defensive lineman Ben Stille. The stop was followed by a short 26-yard Collins punt that gave Nebraska a third consecutive start on the Boilermaker half of the field. Eight plays and 37 yards later, Connor Culp connected on a 25-yard field goal to put the Huskers up 17-0 with 5:59 left in the opening quarter.
Nebraska led 17-3 at the end of the quarter and maintained that two-score lead at 27-13 at halftime. The Husker second quarter included Martinez's 10-yard touchdown pass for Wyatt Liewer's first career touchdown. The quarter also included Culp's career-long 49-yard field goal.
The Big Red took its biggest lead of the game with its best drive of the contest, as Martinez marched the Huskers 75 yards in 11 plays over 4:55 that culminated with his second touchdown run of the day. His one-yard plunge put Nebraska up 34-13.
But Purdue refused to quit. Late in third quarter, Jack Plummer connected with Payne Durham on a 20-yard touchdown pass to close the game back to 34-20 heading to the fourth quarter. Then Purdue capitalized quickly in the fourth quarter when Plummer hit David Bell with an 89-yard touchdown pass that pulled the Boilers within 34-27 with 12:16 left.
But the Blackshirts surrendered nothing more to the Boilermakers, and Martinez engineered one more scoring drive capped by Culp's third field goal of the game, this time for 32 yards out to seal the win.
Nebraska finished the game with 362 yards of total offense, including 242 yards and a touchdown on 23-of-30 passing by Martinez, who added 45 rushing yards and two scores on 13 carries. Sophomore Wan'Dale Robinson continued to show his versatility with nine receptions for 114 yards, while adding two carries for five yards.
Dedrick Mills led the Big Red on the ground with 16 carries for 60 yards and a touchdown, while Falck added five receptions for 39 yards to his tone-setting blocked punt for the Huskers. Wide receiver Zavier Betts added five catches for 36 yards.
The Blackshirts held Purdue to 332 total yards, including minus-2 yards rushing. The Boilermakers were also flagged 11 times for 126 yards. Plummer finished the day 33-of-47 through the air for 334 yards and three touchdowns but was sacked three times for 21 yards in losses and officially finished with five carries for minus-23 yards. Bell led the Boiler receivers with 10 catches for 132 yards, while Rondale Moore added 13 catches for 78 yards.
Deontai Williams led the Nebraska defense with 12 tackles, including 10 solos, while adding a pass breakup. JoJo Domann contributed 11 tackles, including eight solos of his own. Cam Taylor-Britt and Dicaprio Bootle each contributed a pair of breakups for the Husker secondary, while Ben Stille led the defensive line with five tackles, including a solo sack and another shared sack with Garrett Nelson, who added a solo sack of his own.
PURDUE BOILERMAKERS (4-3, 2-2) | at | NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (3-5, 1-4) |
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WHEN: Saturday, October 30 | 2:30 PM (CT)
WHERE: Memorial Stadium | Lincoln, Nebraska
TV: ESPN2 (Roy Philpott, Kelly Stouffer, Lauren Sisler)
Radio: Huskers Radio Network (Greg Sharpe, Matt Davison, Jeremiah Sirles, Jessica Coody)
This Week's Numbers
7 - The Nebraska passing game has been much improved and more explosive in 2021. The Huskers are averaging 9.47 yards per pass attempt to rank seventh in the nation in that category. Nebraska is on pace to set a school record in that category in 2021.
20 - Tight end Austin Allen has six receptions of 20 or more yards this season, with five of those in the past two games. His six catches of 20-plus yards lead all Big Ten tight ends. He ranks among the top three among Big Ten tight ends in receptions, receptions per game, yards per catch and total receiving yards.
18 - Cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt has played his best football the past two weeks, combining for 18 tackles. Taylor-Britt also has an interception, three pass breakups, two TFL, and a sack in the past two games.
HUSKERS
Record: 3-5 (1-4 Big Ten)
Last Game: at Minnesota (L 23-30)
Rankings: NR
Coach: Scott Frost (34-32, 6th year | 15-25, 4th year at NU)
BOILERMAKERS
Record: 4-3 (2-2 Big Ten)
Last Game: vs. Wisconsin (L 13-30)
Rankings: NR
Coach: Jeff Brohm (53-38, 8th year | 23-28 5th year at PUR)
Nebraska returns to Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon to begin a two-game homestand in Lincoln. The Huskers will play host to the Purdue Boilermakers in a Big Ten West battle, with kickoff set for shortly after 2:30 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and heard on the Huskers Radio Network.
Nebraska is coming off a bye week and begins the homestretch of the season, which includes three of the final four games in Lincoln. Nebraska enters the Purdue game with a 3-5 overall record, including a 1-4 mark in Big Ten play, after a 30-23 setback at Minnesota on Oct. 16. The Huskers rallied from a 12-point deficit, but could not convert on multiple red-zone chances in the road setback. Each of Nebraska's five losses this season have come by eight or fewer points.
Purdue heads to Lincoln with a 4-3 overall record, including a 2-2 mark in Big Ten play. Purdue's past three games have come against a tough Big Ten West stretch of Minnesota, Cockeye and Wisconsin. The highlight of that run for Purdue was a dominant 24-7 victory at then-No. 2 Cockeye on Oct. 16, pushing the Boilermakers into the national rankings, before a home loss to Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon.
Coach Jeff Brohm's team features one of the nation's most improved defensive units. Purdue allows 301.6 total yards and just 16.3 points per game to rank in the top four in the Big Ten in both of those categories. Offensively, the Boilermakers once again feature one of the nation's top passing attacks, averaging 317.6 yards per game through the air, which ranks second in the Big Ten and 12th nationally. Receiver David Bell ranks sixth nationally in receiving yards per game at 118.7 yards per contest, including a 240-yard effort at Cockeye.
Series History
Nebraska and Purdue will meet on Saturday for the 10th time overall and the ninth time as Big Ten opponents. Nebraska owns a 5-4 edge in the series, including a 2-1 advantage in Lincoln.
- It marks the ninth straight season the Huskers have met Purdue, including the past eight years with both schools in the Big Ten West Division.
- Before the first meeting after Nebraska joined the Big Ten, the schools had played just once previously, a 28-0 Purdue win in 1958
- Nebraska's victory last season at Purdue was on Dec. 5, marking the Huskers' first regular-season victory in December since 1992
- Nebraska held Purdue to minus-2 yards in last year's game, the fewest by a Nebraska opponent in seven seasons.
- Nebraska has scored at least 25 points in all eight meetings since 2013, including four games with 35 points or more.
Nebraska vs. Purdue Big Ten History
2013: Nebraska 44, Purdue 7 (West Lafayette)
2014: #17 Nebraska 35, Purdue 14 (Lincoln)
2015: Purdue 55, Nebraska 45 (West Lafayette)
2016: #8 Nebraska 27, Purdue 14 (Lincoln)
2017: Nebraska 25, Purdue 24 (West Lafayette)
2018: Purdue 42, Nebraska 28 (Lincoln)
2019: Purdue 31, Nebraska 27 (West Lafayette)
2020: Nebraska 37, Purdue 27 (West Lafayette)
About Purdue
Purdue owns a winning all-time record since the program's first season in 1887. A founding member of the Big Ten Conference, Purdue has totaled 12 conference championships. Their most recent Big Ten title came in 2000. The Boilermakers have gone undefeated five times in program history. Purdue has a winning record in one of four seasons under coach Jeff Brohm. The Boilermakers have played in 19 bowl games in their history, including two Rose Bowls. In the last full season in 2019, Purdue went 4-8 and finished 3-6 in the Big Ten
First Year: 1887
All-Time Record: 624-582-48
Bowl Record: 10-9
Conference Titles: 12
National Titles: 0
Stadium: Ross-Ade Stadium
Capacity: 57,236
Playing Surface: Natural Grass
Location: West Lafayette, Indiana
Enrollment: 34,920
Colors: Black & Gold
About 2021 Purdue
Purdue holds a 4-3 record and a 2-2 Big Ten mark in 2021. The Boilermakers opened their season against Oregon State, winning 30-21. In Week 2, Purdue traveled to UConn where they shut out the Huskies 49-0. The Boilermakers took their first loss in Week 4 with a 27-13 setback at No. 7 Notre Dame. In Week 5, Purdue lost its first Big Ten game, falling to Minnesota 20-13. The Boilermakers upset No. 2 Cockeye in Week 6, winning 24-7. Purdue hosted Wisconsin in Week 7, falling 30-13.
Aidan O'Connell has completed 120-of-172 passes for 1,318 yards and seven touchdowns, while Jack Plummer has contributed seven touchdowns as well, completing 86-of-126 passes for 832 yards. Receiver David Bell is a major weapon for the Purdue offense, totaling 44 receptions on the year for 712 yards and four TDs.
Defensively, Purdue ranks fourth in the conference in total defense, allowing 301.6 yards per game. The Boilermakers feature the best pass defense in the league, allowing only 160 passing yards per game. Jaylan Alexander leads the Boilermakers with 52 tackles and four tackles for loss.
2021 Purdue Schedule/Results
Oregon State (W 30-21)
at Connecticut (W 49-0)
at Notre Dame (L 13-27)
Illinois (W 13-9)
Minnesota (L 13-20)
at Cockeye (W 24-7)
Wisconsin (L 13-30)
at Nebraska
Michigan State
at Ohio State
at Northwestern
Indiana
About Jeff Brohm
Jeff Brohm is in his fifth season at Purdue and eighth season overall as a head coach. He boasts a career record of 53-38 and a record at Purdue of 23-28 (15-21 Big Ten).
Prior to Brohm arriving in West Lafayette, Purdue had a combined nine wins in four seasons. In Brohm's first season with the Boilermakers, the team won seven games and captured each of its rivalry trophies (the Cannon and the Old Oaken Bucket).
Brohm served as head coach at Western Kentucky from 2014 to 2016 and compiled a 30-10 record with the Hilltoppers. Before becoming a head coach, Brohm had short stints at Alabama-Birmingham, Illinois, Florida Atlantic and Louisville as a quarterbacks coach, assistant head coach and offensive coordinator.
The 50-year-old Brohm is a native of Louisville, Kentucky and graduated from the University of Louisville, where he played quarterback for the Cardinals and graduated in 1994. He spent seven years in the NFL as quarterback for several different teams.
Brohm also spent a little time in professional baseball. He was drafted out of high school in the seventh round of the 1989 MLB Draft by the Montreal Expos. After deciding to turn down the baseball offer for college football, he spent his college summers playing minor league baseball.
Last Meeting: December 5, 2020
Nebraska 37, Purdue 27
West Lafayette, IN - In a hard-fought football game between two hungry teams, Nebraska got off to a great start on the road, then made enough plays down the stretch to earn a 37-27 win over Purdue at Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Nebraska got contributions in all three phases of the game to improve to 2-4 on the season while dropping Purdue to 2-4. The Huskers jumped out to a quick 17-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the game, sparked by an opening defensive stop followed by a blocked punt.
The Brendan Cropsey punt, which was blocked by Levi Falck, was recovered by Simon Otte at the Purdue 1-yard-line, setting up a one-yard Dedrick Mills touchdown on Nebraska's first offensive play of the game to give the Big Red a 7-0 lead.
The Blackshirts came through with a quick three-and-out on Purdue's second offensive possession and after a 36-yard Zac Collins punt, Cam Taylor-Britt weaved his way with a 27-yard punt return. The Huskers also benefited from a 15-yard Purdue penalty on the return, setting the offense up with 1st-and-10 at the Boilermaker 17. Three plays later, Adrian Martinez battled his way to the end zone from 13 yards out to give Nebraska a 14-0 lead less than five minutes into the game.
The Blackshirts flexed their muscles again on Purdue's next possession, forcing another three-and-out that included a pair of tackles for loss including a six-yard-sack by senior defensive lineman Ben Stille. The stop was followed by a short 26-yard Collins punt that gave Nebraska a third consecutive start on the Boilermaker half of the field. Eight plays and 37 yards later, Connor Culp connected on a 25-yard field goal to put the Huskers up 17-0 with 5:59 left in the opening quarter.
Nebraska led 17-3 at the end of the quarter and maintained that two-score lead at 27-13 at halftime. The Husker second quarter included Martinez's 10-yard touchdown pass for Wyatt Liewer's first career touchdown. The quarter also included Culp's career-long 49-yard field goal.
The Big Red took its biggest lead of the game with its best drive of the contest, as Martinez marched the Huskers 75 yards in 11 plays over 4:55 that culminated with his second touchdown run of the day. His one-yard plunge put Nebraska up 34-13.
But Purdue refused to quit. Late in third quarter, Jack Plummer connected with Payne Durham on a 20-yard touchdown pass to close the game back to 34-20 heading to the fourth quarter. Then Purdue capitalized quickly in the fourth quarter when Plummer hit David Bell with an 89-yard touchdown pass that pulled the Boilers within 34-27 with 12:16 left.
But the Blackshirts surrendered nothing more to the Boilermakers, and Martinez engineered one more scoring drive capped by Culp's third field goal of the game, this time for 32 yards out to seal the win.
Nebraska finished the game with 362 yards of total offense, including 242 yards and a touchdown on 23-of-30 passing by Martinez, who added 45 rushing yards and two scores on 13 carries. Sophomore Wan'Dale Robinson continued to show his versatility with nine receptions for 114 yards, while adding two carries for five yards.
Dedrick Mills led the Big Red on the ground with 16 carries for 60 yards and a touchdown, while Falck added five receptions for 39 yards to his tone-setting blocked punt for the Huskers. Wide receiver Zavier Betts added five catches for 36 yards.
The Blackshirts held Purdue to 332 total yards, including minus-2 yards rushing. The Boilermakers were also flagged 11 times for 126 yards. Plummer finished the day 33-of-47 through the air for 334 yards and three touchdowns but was sacked three times for 21 yards in losses and officially finished with five carries for minus-23 yards. Bell led the Boiler receivers with 10 catches for 132 yards, while Rondale Moore added 13 catches for 78 yards.
Deontai Williams led the Nebraska defense with 12 tackles, including 10 solos, while adding a pass breakup. JoJo Domann contributed 11 tackles, including eight solos of his own. Cam Taylor-Britt and Dicaprio Bootle each contributed a pair of breakups for the Husker secondary, while Ben Stille led the defensive line with five tackles, including a solo sack and another shared sack with Garrett Nelson, who added a solo sack of his own.
