WEST LAFAYETTE — Sophomore quarterback Ryan Browne made his first start of the season look like backyard football, finishing 18-of-26 for 311 yards, tossing two touchdowns, and adding another on the ground as Purdue rolled over in-state rival Ball State, 31-0. The win marked the Boilermakers’ ninth straight over the Cardinals, stretching a series lead that now sits at 9-0.
Browne wasted no time setting the tone in the first half, finding wideout Arhmad Branch on three big hookups for over 100 yards and a touchdown. Their early chemistry lit up the Ross-Ade crowd, especially when Branch turned a 49-yard strike into six on Purdue’s opening drive. The ground game joined the party too, with Devin Mockobee punching it in to start the second quarter, capping a bruising 13-play drive that chewed up nearly five minutes of clock.
Ball State showed a little spark when running back Que Ashley broke free for a slick 20-yard run, giving the visiting fans something to cheer about. But third downs were a nightmare — the Cardinals managed just 1-for-6 in the half, while Purdue’s defense stood on business. By halftime, Ball State barely cracked 100 total yards while Purdue stacked up over 225 with a balanced attack. Special teams got in on the fun too, with Purdue’s punter pinning the Cardinals deep all night, flipping field position and fueling a 21-0 lead at the break.
The second half didn’t require much more from the offense, though Browne kept cooking with his second touchdown pass, a strike to Michael Jackson III in the third quarter. Meanwhile, the defense kept the clamps on, holding Ball State to just 203 total yards. Senior defensive back Tahj Ra-El led the charge with seven tackles and one for a loss, setting the tone for a unit that didn’t give up an inch.
After the final whistle, head coach Barry Odom celebrated his first win at Purdue but kept things grounded. “We made steps in the right direction,” Odom said. “We’re nowhere near a finished product.”
For Purdue, it was a statement opener — clean, balanced, and dominant in all three phases. The Browne-to-Branch connection looks like it might be the real deal, and with the defense flying around, the Boilermakers gave their fans plenty to believe in for Year One of the Odom era. Purdue stays home next week to face Southern Illinois, while Ball State heads south for a tough road test at Auburn.