Buckeyes Can’t Contain Boilermakers Offense – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/28/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 28, 2000
Box Score
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.–Ohio State and Purdue combined to score 48 second-half points but it was the Boilermakers who came out on top 31-24 to improve to 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes fell to 6-2, 3-2.
Purdue quarterback Drew Brees completed 39 of 65 pass attempts for 455 yards, three touchdown passes and four interceptions.
Three Purdue receivers each had 100 or more yards receiving in the game, led by senior Vinny Sutherland’s 142 yards and a touchdown catch.
The 455 passing yards was the fourth most by an OSU opponent, the third most completions (39) and fourth most attempts (65) against the Buckeyes.
The game was fast and furious in the fourth quarter as each team found itself in the lead. Ohio State sophomore corner back Mike Doss made his second interception of Brees and returned it to the Boilermaker 2-yard line setting up a touchdown run by senior running back Jerry Westbrooks giving the Buckeyes a 27-24 lead with 2 minutes 16 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
Brees countered 17 seconds later with a 64-yard touchdown pass to junior Seth Morales to regain the lead for good 31-27 with 1:55 to play. Morales finished the game with 115 yards receiving and a TD.
Brees again connected with Sutherland with 5:59 remaining in the fourth quarter on a 19-yard touchdown pass to put the Boilermakers up 24-20. The drive went 90 yards on 13 plays. Purdue opened the second-half scoring with a 34-yard field goal by Travis Dorsch to give the Boilermakers a 10-3 lead with 12:40 remaining in the third quarter.
The Buckeyes came right back with a Dan Stultz 45-yard field goal with 8:52 to play in the third to cut the lead to 10-6 in favor of the Boilermakers. It was Stultz’s 51st career field goal, adding to his OSU career record, set earlier in the game.
The Ohio State defense held Purdue forcing a punt. The offense, aided by a pair of catches by senior receiver Reggie Germany, then drove 62 yards on eight plays to score on a 1-yard plunge by junior fullback Jamar Martin with 3:41 left in the third quarter.
It was Martin’s second touchdown of the season and his fourth-career scoring run.
Buckeye linebacker Joe Cooper then sacked Brees on third down on Purdue’s next possession forcing another Boilermaker punt.
Nate Clements returned Scott Kurz’s punt 83 yards for a touchdown, his first-career scoring return with 1:44 remaining in the third quarter, giving the Buckeyes a 20-10 advantage.
The punt return for a touchdown was the first for Ohio State since David Boston ran one back 70 yards vs. Indiana Oct. 31, 1998 in a 38-7 Buckeye win.
Brees rallied to lead the Boilermakers on a 73-yard scoring drive that ended on a 5-yard touchdown throw to receiver John Standeford with 12:46 to play in the fourth quarter. The scoring strike, which cut the OSU lead to 20-17, was the first for Brees against the Buckeyes. Standeford finished with 12 catches for 100 yards.
Ohio State stopped the Purdue passing attack on each of the Boilermaker’s first two possessions in the game.
Doss intercepted Brees on Purdue’s first possession and junior linebacker Courtland Bullard sacked Brees on the Boilermaker’s second offensive effort.
Ohio State was not able to move the ball on any of its first quarter possessions as both teams ended the quarter scoreless.
The Buckeyes picked off Brees again with just over 11 minutes to play in the second quarter when Clements stepped in front of a Brees aerial and returned it 35 yards to the Purdue 24-yard line.
Clement’s theft set up a 35-yard field goal by Stultz with 9:02 to play in the first half giving the Buckeyes a 3-0 lead.
The field goal was the 10th of the season and 50th in Stultz’s career, giving him the career record in career field goals made at Ohio State. Stultz passed Tim Williams (1990-93), who finished his Buckeye career with 49.
The Buckeyes forced Purdue to punt on its next possession but the Boilermakers got the ball right back on an interception by Purdue’s Akin Ayodele on a pass that was tipped by Germany.
Brees moved the Boilermakers down to the Ohio State 2-yard line setting up a touchdown run by Purdue’s Steve Ennis to put the Boilers on top 7-3 with 3:41 remaining in the first half.
The Buckeyes were forced to punt in their next possession.
Ohio State’s David Mitchell intercepted Brees, the third of the game for the Buckeyes, with 1:09 to play in the half but the OSU offense could not sustain a drive and was forced to punt.
Purdue ran the clock out with to end the half leading 7-3.
