Train Wreck: Nebraska Gets Trucked By Purdue 55-45

People kept asking what would be the bottom falling out for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

By the end of this afternoon's game with the Purdue Boilermakers, we now have an answer.

Purdue, 1-6 on the season and with no wins against an FBS team this year, took advantage of five Ryker Fyfe involved turnovers and 366 total yards by Quarterback David Blough to defeat the Huskers 55-45 before an announced crowd of over 31 thousand Saturday.

Purdue (2-6, 1-4) won the turnover battle 5-0 and used a balanced attack to beat the Huskers (3-6, 1-4), who were out of many players due to injury.

Fyfe, who started for Nebraska at Quarterback over an injured Tommy Armstrong Jr, threw for 407 yards and 4 Touchdowns, but had a hand in all 5 of Nebraska's turnovers in 4 interceptions and one fumble from a shotgun exchange.

The Huskers got the ball after a Purdue stop to begin the game, and went 70 yards in 12 plays, finishing the drive with a Drew Brown 41 yard field goal. Purdue, however, marched right down the field in their own 6 play, 77-yard drive to score on a 56 yard TD run by Blough when the Nebraska LB crew left the field wide open.

Purdue wasn't done, getting the ball right back on the Fyfe shotgun fumble at the end of the First Quarter. They took advantage of the miscue at the beginning of the Second Quarter when Danny Anthrop, who tore his ACL in the game in Lincoln last year, caught a 3 yard TD pass from Blough to make it 14-3 Boilers.

The Huskers got the ball back and, assisted by a stellar Stanley Morgan KO return, went 58 yards on 5 plays with a Fyfe to Morgan TD run that had some great effort after the catch. However, in that play, De'mornay Pierson-El appeared to hurt his knee in a mode of celebrating. He was carted off the field and was on crutches and in street clothes the rest of the half. The XP was blocked, making the score 14-9 Purdue.

The teams traded a few punts to each other before Purdue scored on another Fyfe turnover, this time an interception. Domonique Young finished off a 5 play, 22-yard drive with a TD carry from 4 yards out to give Purdue a 21-9 lead, which was the score at Halftime.

The Huskers got the ball to start the Second Half, which they took right down the field 1n 13 plays and 75 yards, finished off by an Imani Cross 9 yard TD. However, the Boilermakers got 3 TD passes from Blough in the Thrid Quarter, starting with a 5-yard pass to Jordan Jurasevich to answer the Cross TD drive. Then, Blough found DeAngelo Yancey with a  83 yard TD, and finishing up with a Blough to Yancey TD from 9 yards out to make it 42-16 Boilermakers after 45 minutes of play.

The Fourth Quarter was somewhat wild. The Huskers scored to open the Quarter, with a Fyfe to Brandon Reilly TD pass to finish a 8 play, 70-yard drive. Then Andy Janovich got on the board with a 1 yard TD run to finish a 71-yard, 5 play drive along with a Fyfe to Jordan Westerkamp 2 point conversion to bring it to 42-31. However, the Boilermakers answered back with a bobbling interception of Fyfe by Frankie Williams, who took it down to the Nebraska 6 yard line. Purdue's Markell Jones punched it in from 6 yards out to make it 49-31. The Huskers kept playing, however, and Fyfe found Westerkamp with another TD pass to Reilly. However, the final score for Purdue that put them over 50 came off of a failed onside kick. Jones finished off a time-consuming drive with a 8 yard TD to end the scoring for Purdue on the day.

The final score of the game came via a Fyfe to Westerkamp TD throw with :30 to go, giving the Boilermakers the 10 point win.

Ryker Fyfe was 29-48 for Nebraska with 407 yards passing, and 4 TD's and Interceptions each. The leading ball carrier for Nebraska was Terrell Newby, who had 10 carries for 56 yards, however he was also lost to injury before halftime.

David Blough finished 28-43 for 274 yards and 4 TD's. Markell Jones was the leading ball-carrier for Purdue with 92 yards on 23 carries.

Jordan Westerkamp got 123 yards on 9 receptions and 1 TD for Nebraska. Purdue was led by DeAngelo Yancy with 111 yards on 5 catches and 2 TD's.

The Huskers return home to take on the Michigan State Spartans Saturday night in Lincoln next week. Purdue will host the Illinois Fighting Illini at home once again next week.