Purdue Football: Boilermakers Becoming Well-Versed in the Comeback Victory
EVANSTON, Ill. — It had been nearly a decade since Purdue last beat Northwestern. But that’s changed now, after a thrilling 24-22 win over the Wildcats on Saturday.
Early on, it looked like those struggles were going to continue after it took a Northwestern offense that was averaging 9.8 points per game just two plays to score on a 79-yard touchdown run. They were able to grab a 14-0 lead by the end of the opening quarter, but similarly to last game, Purdue was able to come from behind to earn the victory.
Last week, it was quarterback Aidan O’Connell orchestrating a touchdown-drive with just one minute remaining, and this week it was O’Connell putting together a similar drive to set up J.D. Dellinger for a game-winning field goal with just three seconds left on the clock.
Dellinger’s kick was 39-yards into the gusting wind at Ryan Field and at first, based on the crowd's reaction, it seemed like it might come up short. It didn’t, much to Purdue’s liking.
“It was still a tough kick with the gusting wind and it was pretty much straight in my face, so I played a lower slow-rising ball and it ended up getting caught up there at the end and kind of just fluttered,” Dellinger said. “It felt really good off my foot and it looked pretty dead straight almost all the way there.”
Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald tried to ice Dellinger, using his last time out just before the kick. Something that might bother some kickers, it didn’t faze Dellinger at all.
“I think it helps honestly. It gives me a chance to catch my breath,” Dellinger said. “I don’t even think about it. Before he called the timeout I was ready to make that kick right then and then he did and I was like alright give me a couple seconds and I’ll make it then.”
Dellinger may have been the hero of Saturday’s game, but that doesn’t happen without the clutchness of O’Connell. Get him the ball near the end of the fourth quarter and good things are going to happen.
O’Connell, the walk-on from Long Grove, Ill. which is just down the road from Northwestern, led Purdue to a comeback victory for the second time in as many weeks.
“I think that last week helped so much, but at the same time it’s a new challenge, new chapter, and a new day,” O”Connell said.
In his first career start, O’Connell struggled at times, throwing two interceptions, but you can’t expect to be perfect when you throw 50 passes on the day. After halftime, O’Connell came out firing on all cylinders, throwing third-quarter touchdown passes to David Bell and Amad Anderson Jr.
“He had a great week of practice so that just gave him the confidence. He knew that he could trust the guys he was throwing the ball too,” Anderson said. “It just felt like Aidan.”
Both Anderson and Bell had big days for the Boilermakers. Anderson caught nine passes for 67 yards and a score and Bell added another 100-yard performance to his resume, catching 14 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. Bell’s day could’ve been bigger, just barely missing a diving catch in the end zone early on in the game.
“We told David, you’re doing the best you can, but we need you to make the spectacular play if we want to win,” Brohm said. “You know what? He started to make the spectacular play.”
Purdue has now won back-to-back games for the first time this season. A walk-on quarterback in this first career start. A team that they hadn’t beat since 2010. An early 14-0 deficit. None of that mattered for this Purdue team. Adversity seems to be something this team is taking a liking to.
“Without question very proud of our football team,” Purdue coach Jeff Brohm said. “I thought we hung in there and that’s kind of been the sign of our team. We do have some toughness, we have some grit, and we have guys that play to the end.”
