LIVE BLOG: Follow the 2021 Music City Bowl Between Purdue, Tennessee in Real Time; News and Analysis
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Purdue football is set to kick off against Tennessee in the 2021 TransPerfect Music City Bowl on Thursday at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. The opening kick is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET.
This is just the second meeting between the Boilermakers and the Volunteers. The two teams played in the 1979 Bluebonnet Bowl, with Purdue taking a 27-22 victory. A win for Purdue would mark its first nine-win season since 2003. Here's a look at how to watch the game, including TV and online radio information. CLICK HERE
For one last time in 2021, it's a 𝙋𝙪𝙧𝙙𝙪𝙚 𝙁𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡 Game Day! 🚂⬆@MusicCityBowl
— Purdue Football (@BoilerFootball) December 30, 2021
📍: vs. Tennessee
⏰: 3 PM ET
📺: @espn
📻: WAZY 96.5 FM
📊: https://t.co/dcfNY4BYfh
ℹ: @ruoffmortgage pic.twitter.com/Y9ndDO2xXX
The Boilermakers have not won a bowl game since 2017 during coach Jeff Brohm's first season with the program. That season, the team defeated Arizona 38-35 in the Foster Farms Bowl.
Here's how our LIVE BLOG works. We'll keep you updated on everything that goes on in the game in real time, keeping you up to date on injuries, scoring plays and trends. Throughout the game, I'll provide my own analysis as well.
Follow along as Purdue tries to cap off its best season in 15 years against a fast-paced Tennessee team:
6:42 p.m. CT, FINAL — Purdue defeats Tennessee 48-45 to win the Music City Bowl in overtime. Mitchell Fineran hit the game-winning field goal.
6:36 p.m. CT — Purdue stops Tennessee at the one-yard line on fourth down. The offense will take over from the 25-yard line with a chance to win the game.
6:30 p.m. CT — Purdue wins the overtime coin toss and elects to start on defense.
6:26 p.m. CT — With no time left on the clock, Purdue and Tennessee are headed to overtime. The two teams are tied 45-45.
6:18 p.m. CT — Tennessee has the ball with 11 seconds remaining in regulation. The Vols are at the 42-yard line looking to take the lead.
6:07 p.m. CT — Tennessee goes right back down the field to get into the end zone. 1:57 left to play in the game and the teams are tied at 45-45.
6:03 p.m. CT — Broc Thompson comes away with his second long touchdown of the afternoon, this time for 70 yards. He has a team-high 7 catches for 217 yards and two touchdowns.
Purdue leads 45-38 with 2:57 left to play in the game.
5:58 p.m. CT — Tennessee gets right back into the end zone to tie the game. Hendon Hooker finds his favorite target, wide receiver Cedric Tillman for a touchdown. Purdue will get the ball with 3:37 left to play in the game.
5:51 p.m. CT — Aidan O'Connell finds Payne Durham over the middle of the field for a first down, but the junior tight end fights past several Tennessee players en route to a 62-yard touchdown.
Purdue takes the lead and Durham also catches the 2-point conversion. Boilermakers up 38-31 with 4:58 to play in the game.
5:37 p.m. CT — Purdue's had two interceptions and two punts in its last four drives. Defense is being stressed to make stops down the stretch, but the offense hasn't scored since the nine-minute mark in the third quarter.
5:24 p.m. CT — Purdue comes up with another huge fourth down stop. The Boilermakers will take over from the 25-yard line still trailing by just one point.
5:09 p.m. CT, END Q3 — Tennessee has 2nd and 4 from the 46-yard line to start the fourth quarter. Purdue trails 31-30, a close one here in Nashville.
5:02 p.m. CT — Aidan O'Connell tosses his third interception of the game. Tennessee will have a chance to extend its lead on its next drive.
4:56 p.m. CT — Tennessee converts on a field goal, giving it a 31-30 lead with 3:44 to play in the third quarter.
4:54 p.m. CT — Aidan O'Connell throws his second interception of the game. Tennessee gets the ball on the 49-yard line down by just two points.
4:42 p.m. CT — Tennessee goes three-and-out and will punt from the eight yard line. Purdue calls a fair catch from the Vols' 46-yard line.
4:36 p.m. CT — Aidan O'Connell completes a 10-yard touchdown pass to TJ Sheffield. Play was reviewed and confirmed. Purdue has a 30-28 lead with 9:04 left to play in the third quarter.
4:29 p.m. CT — Purdue getting more big plays in the passing game on its first possession in the second half. O'Connell has already completed passes of 26 yards to Zander Horvath and 26 yards to Garrett Miller.
Boilermakers back in the red zone.
4:20 p.m. CT — Tennessee opens the third quarter with a seven-play, 71-yard drive ending in a touchdown pass to wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. Volunteers take a 28-23 lead with 12:45 to play in the third quarter.
3:55 p.m. CT, END FIRST HALF — Purdue goes into the locker room with a 23-21 lead. Tennessee will receive the ball to start the third quarter.
3:53 p.m. CT — Aidan O'Connell with a bootleg to the right side of the field. He finds Payne Durham for an easy 2-yard touchdown. Purdue takes a 23-21 lead with 19 seconds to play in the first half.
3:52 p.m. CT — Aidan O'Connell finds freshman wide receiver Deion Burks at the 2-yard line, his first career catch.
3:49 p.m. CT — DaMarcus Mitchell gets into the backfield and strips Hendon Hooker. Purdue recovers at the 28-yard line and will have 29 seconds to work with before the end of the first half.
3:42 p.m. CT — Tennessee holds Purdue out of the end zone on three straight plays. Boilermakers score on their third field goal of the second quarter. Volunteers have been held scoreless after putting up 21 in the first.
Tennessee with a 21-16 lead with 1:03 remaining in the half.
3:40 p.m. CT — TJ Sheffield with a pair of catches on this drive. He brings down a huge, 38-yard reception at the 2-yard line. Purdue looking to find the end zone.
3:37 p.m. CT — Both teams trade three-and-outs. There's 3:36 remaining in the second quarter. and Purdue starts its drive from the 36-yard line.
3:31 p.m. CT — Purdue gets a fourth down stop and takes over on its own 38-yard line. Boilermakers in need of a score to cut into the Vols' 21-13 lead.
3:28 p.m. CT — Tennessee is driving down the field, and Purdue has been subject to some injury scares on defense. Jaylan Alexander has twice gone to the injury tent, but has twice returned to the field. Now, Marvin Grant appeared to injure his shoulder and was in some pain on the sideline.
3:17 p.m. CT — Purdue works its way into the red zone, but can't find a way past the goal line. A solid drive was set up by a 41-yard catch by Jackson Anthrop. Mitchell Fineran hits his second field goal of the afternoon, and the Boilermakers trail 21-13 with 9:42 left to play in the first half.
3:09 p.m. CT — Purdue forces its second stop of the afternoon. Tennessee to punt holding onto an 11-point lead early in the second quarter.
3:01 p.m. CT — Purdue drive stalls inside the 10-yard line. Aidan O'Connell overthrows a wide open Garrett Miller in the end zone, so the Boilermakers have to settle for a field goal.
Tennessee leads 21-10 with 14:01 left to play in the first half.
2:55 p.m. CT, END Q1 — Purdue will have first down and 10 from the 15-yard line to start the second quarter. The Boilermakers are trying to cut into a 21-7 deficit. Aidan O'Connell with 154 yards passing, 116 going to Broc Thompson.
2:52 p.m. CT — Purdue keeping itself in the game with big plays in the passing game. Jackson Anthrop gets open over the middle for a big gain.
2:47 p.m. CT — Tennessee is moving the ball down the field with ease. Jalen Graham is called for pass interference in the end zone, and the Volunteers plunge into the end zone on the very next play.
Jabari Small's rushing score makes it a 21-7 game with 3:29 left to play in the first quarter.
2:43 p.m. CT — Aidan O'Connell tries to hit TJ Sheffield deep down the field, but the ball is overthrown and picked off by Tennessee. On the drive, Broc Thompson eclipsed 100 yards for the day.
Volunteers take over on the 20-yard line.
2:39 p.m. CT — Hendon Hooker finds Cedric Tillman for the second Tennessee touchdown of the game, this time for 61 yards. Marvin Grant just let Tillman run right down the sideline for the long score.
Volunteers take a 14-7 lead with 6:31 left in the first quarter.
2:26 p.m. CT — Purdue answers in one play as Aidan O'Connell hits a streaking Broc Thompson down the middle of the field. He evades a defender and has enough speed to reach the end zone. The pass goes for 75 yards, and the Boilermakers tie things up with 10:15 left to play in the first quarter.
2:22 p.m. CT — Hendon Hooker fires deep down the field and finds wide receiver Cedric Tillman for a 41-yard touchdown. Tennessee takes a 7-0 lead with 10:28 remaining in the first quarter.
The Volunteers scored in just four plays.
2:17 p.m. CT — Zander Horvath is stopped short of the line to gain, but Purdue is going for it on fourth down. Aidan O'Connell's pass falls incomplete to the left side of the field, too far ahead of Broc Thompson to bring in.
The Volunteers take over from their own 44-yard line.
2:13 p.m. CT — Aidan O'Connell has to make use of his feet, picking up a handful of yards to bring up third and short. Purdue is executing a slow, methodical drive and is in Tennessee territory to the 45-yard line. Volunteer linebacker Tyler Baron was injured on the play.
2:07 p.m. CT — Purdue throws the ball three straight times on its first possession. Aidan O'Connell's third pass fell incomplete, intended for Broc Thompson, but Tennessee was called for pass interference on the play.
2:04 p.m. CT — Jackson Anthrop and Jaylan Alexander are the captains for Purdue during the coin toss. Tennessee wins the toss and elected to defer to the second half. The Boilermakers will receive the ball to start the game.
PREGAME — With the wide receiver corps being thin for Purdue, sophomore TJ Sheffield is taking snaps on the outside during pregame warmups. Freshmen Deion Burks and Collin Sullivan may see extended playing time this afternoon.
PREGAME — As expected, offensive tackle Greg Long is not participating in warmups for the Boilermakers. Junior Eric Miller takes over at left tackle, and sophomore Cam Craig slots in a right tackle.
PREGAME — For those who had even an ounce of concern as to whether Purdue quarterback Aidan O'Connell was available, he is in uniform and taking snaps from starting center Gus Hartwig for warm ups ahead of the Music City Bowl.
Stories Related to Purdue Football
- PURDUE DEFENSE GEARING UP FOR FAST-PACED TENNESSEE OFFENSE: Purdue's defense faces a fast-paced Tennessee offense that ranks eighth in the country in points per game this season in the Music City Bowl on Thursday. The Volunteers lead the nation with an average of more than 14 points scored in the first quarter. CLICK HERE
- JEFF BROHM, JOSH HEUPEL JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE: Purdue coach Jeff Brohm and Tennessee coach Josh Heupel met with the media Wednesday at the Opryland Hotel Convention Center. CLICK HERE
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.