WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue’s defense delivered five takeaways, but the Boilermakers couldn’t turn those opportunities into enough points Friday night, falling 38-26 to Washington at Ross-Ade Stadium. The Huskies (4-3, 1-3 Big Ten) snapped a three-game
losing streak behind quarterback Elijah Brown, who threw for 302 yards and three touchdowns in his first start. Purdue (3-4, 2-2 Big Ten) showed flashes of explosiveness but struggled to finish drives and control the line of scrimmage.
Rocking their all-black uniforms for the blackout game, the Boilermakers opened with a bang. Defensive back Hudauri Hines intercepted Brown on Washington’s first play, and Smiley Bradford added another interception later in the first quarter. However, Purdue managed just three points from those early turnovers, finishing the opening quarter with only 51 yards of offense and going 0-for-3 on third downs.
Washington capitalized on its opportunities, using a 10-play drive capped by Brown’s touchdown pass to Decker DeGraaf to establish momentum. After Trey Cooley ripped off a 43-yard run in the second quarter, Purdue’s defense stood firm and forced a field goal, keeping the Huskies from extending their advantage further.
Then Antonio Harris ignited Ross-Ade Stadium with a 60-yard run, Purdue’s longest rushing play of the season. Harris later punched in a touchdown to tie the game at 10-10. Washington responded with a touchdown pass to Brian Bonner, but Purdue answered when
Ryan Browne connected with Fame Ijeboi for a 10-yard touchdown, knotting the score at 17-17.
Washington delivered the final blow of the half when Bonner scored his second touchdown, giving the Huskies a 23-17 halftime lead after a costly Purdue roughing-the-passer penalty.
The second half became a battle of missed opportunities. Purdue’s defense continued creating chances, with JoJo Hayden recording another interception, but the offense settled for a field goal to make it 24-20. Washington answered with a touchdown pass to
Dezman Roebuck early in the fourth quarter, pushing the lead to 31-20.
The Huskies’ defensive front proved decisive, limiting Purdue’s rushing attack to just 98 yards as a team. Ijeboi, coming off a monster performance the previous week, managed only 19 yards on 13 carries.
“Their defensive line won on the line of scrimmage,” Purdue head coach Barry Odom said.
Brown finished 21-of-27 passing for 302 yards and three touchdowns despite throwing three interceptions. Purdue’s Browne completed 21 of 41 passes for 273 yards and threw two interceptions.
Purdue had the takeaways, explosive plays and crowd energy to make this a statement victory. What the Boilermakers lacked was the finishing punch.
From the sideline : Five turnovers should create a winning formula, but Washington made the most of its opportunities while Purdue left too many points on the field. The Boilermakers must turn defensive stops into touchdowns and establish their running game if they want to make noise in the Big Ten.