On a Halloweeen afternoon, Purdue’s football team faced off against a depleted Illinois team and secured a 31-24 victory in Champagne, but the Boilermaker faithful got a scare late in the game.
Head Coach Jeff Brohm returned to the sideline after he contracted COVID-19 last week, but Purdue was still without redshirt sophomore wide receiver Rondale Moore, a starter out for the second straight week for undisclosed reasons. Moore was a consensus All-American receiver two years ago as a true freshman, and his season was cut short last year because of an injury.
The Boilermakers led from wire-to-wire and appeared to be in control in the fourth quarter when they extended their lead to 31-10. But a number of costly penalties and poor play by the special teams allowed the Fighting Illini to score two touchdowns in five minutes making it a one-score game. Illinois threatened to tie the score late in the fourth quarter, but the Boilermaker defense held up when it needed to.
After leading at halftime, 17-10, the Boilermakers extended their lead on a three-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Aidan O’Connell to wide receiver David Bell, last week’s Co-Offensive Players of the Week in the Big Ten after Purdue’s season opening victory over Iowa.
O’Connell passed for 371 yards and two touchdowns, while junior running back Zander Horvath of Mishawaka, Indiana, had 102 yards rushing and one touchdown. He also caught seven passes for 71 yards. The downside of his day was losing the ball twice on fumbles.
Purdue’s final touchdown of the day was on a three-yard fumble recovery. Illini quarterback Coran Taylor, pressed into action in the first quarter because of an injury to starter Matt Robinson, fumbled after a hit by Purdue freshman safety Marvin Grant. Fellow safety Jalen Graham scooped up the fumble and ran it into the end zone.
In two games this season, the Boilermaker defense has seven takeaways. Against the Fighting Illini, Purdue forced two fumble recoveries and came up with two interceptions.
Illinois entered the game without 14 players, including their top two quarterbacks.
Bell’s third quarter TD reception was one of nine catches for 122 yards on the day. He became the first wide receiver in Purdue history with 100 or more yards receiving in five consecutive games.
Purdue (2-0) is scheduled to play No. 9 Wisconsin in West Lafayette next weekend, but because Wisconsin did not play this weekend at Nebraska due to COVID-19 concerns the status of the game won’t become clear until a few more days have passed.
