How a meaningless touchdown at Michigan was a turning point for Purdue football
WEST LAFAYETTE — It's possible Purdue football's sudden offensive spark came seven days prior in what appeared to be a meaningless last-minute touchdown.
That Deion Burks 24-yard reception at Michigan meant little to fans beyond gamblers either overjoyed or angry the Boilermakers covered the spread.
It wasn't meaningless to Purdue, which had been searching for any semblance of offensive life since the end of September.
More: Grading Purdue's 49-30 win over Minnesota: Are things looking better in Ross-Ade?
On Saturday, the Boilermakers not only showed life, they did things that no Purdue team has done in years.
For example, 604 total yards, the most since last season against Nebraska, and 353 rushing yards, the most since 2012 against Eastern Michigan. It's also the first time a Purdue team has scored touchdowns on its first four drives since Kyle Orton was quarterbacking the Boilermakers to four scores on Sept. 11, 2004 against Ball State.
Saturday's 49-30 win over Minnesota at Ross-Ade Stadium was the first time Purdue had two players rush for 100-plus yards (Devin Mockobee, 153, and Tyrone Tracy, 122) since D.J. Knox and Markell Jones did it against Eastern Michigan in 2018.
Purdue scored more points Saturday than it had combined (48) during its four-game losing streak. The Boilers had more points than they had in any Big Ten game since that magical night against Ohio State in 2018.
"I think it's an example of how good our offense can be when we execute at a high level," Tracy said after totaling 174 yards. "We've been practicing the right way throughout the week, so it's no surprise that we go out there on Saturday and we let it rip."
When losses and injuries piled up, Purdue's football program stayed the course.
"The thing that I've been most impressed with and proud of with this team is regardless of what has happened yesterday, the focus has been on the present in order to improve for the future," Purdue football coach Ryan Walters said.
The future, the immediate future anyway, is two more games.
A road trip to Northwestern and a home game against rival Indiana.
After what Purdue's offense did against Minnesota, is it far fetched to think the Boilermakers can't put it all together for just two more weeks?
"Obviously we had a long stretch where we did go without a win, including having a bye week, so that made it feel even longer," Purdue senior safety Sanoussi Kane said.
After the loss at Michigan, Kane rallied the locker room moments after Purdue learned it would fall short of bowl eligibility, even if it won out the last three weeks.
He told the team it never knows when a team turns the corner.
Perhaps it was at Michigan with that late touchdown drive.
"We knew if we went out there and executed the way we're capable of, we could have a night like this," Purdue quarterback Hudson Card said.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue offense rides newfound momentum in crushing of Minnesota
