Purdue Boilermakers vs Northwestern Wildcats Match Player Stats On Nov 14, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Nov 14, 2015

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Running back Justin Jackson broke a tie with a two-yard touchdown run with 4:37 remaining as No. 18 Northwestern claimed a 21-14 Big Ten victory over Purdue on Saturday.

Wildcat quarterback Clayton Thorson had back-to-back 16-yard scrambles on the 12-play drive to get Northwestern to the Purdue five. Three plays later Jackson ran up the middle for the go-ahead score and his second touchdown of the season.

Bowl-bound Northwestern (8-2, 4-2) won its third straight. Purdue (2-8, 1-5) suffered its second consecutive loss and seventh in eight games.

Jackson closed 24 carries for a game-high 116 yards while junior Warren Long rushed for two touchdowns and 62 yards.

Boilermakers quarterback Davld Blough was 26-of-45 for 287 yards and one touchdown while wide receiver Domonique Young caught five passes for 107 yards and a TD.

The Boilermakers promptly replied and evened the score on a 68-yard touchdown pass play on first down from Blough to Young at the 12:03 mark.

Safety Traveon Henry's interception at the Purdue 41 led to Long's second touchdown with 7:40 remaining in the first half. The Wildcats moved 40 yards on five plays to set up Long's one-yard plunge as Northwestern made it 14-7.

Purdue recovered a fumble at the Northwestern 38 but stalled at the Wildcat 23. A fourth-down end zone pass from Blough to DeAngelo Yancy was over thrown.

Blough's 29-yard pass to running back Markell Jones early in the third quarter and a roughing the passer penalty put the Boilermakers back in business at the Northwestern two.

Jones took it from there with his short TD run to tie the game at 14-14.

The Boilermakers' bid for their first lead failed when kicker Paul Griggs missed on a 43-yard field goal attempt with 5:22 left in the third.

NOTES: Purdue faced a ranked Northwestern team for the first time since 2000 when the then-No. 21 Boilermakers beat the No. 17 Wildcats 41-28. ? Purdue RB Markell Jones entered Saturday fourth national among freshmen in yards per rush (5.51) and rushing TDs (seven). He broke Purdue's all-time true freshman rushing record with 157 yards at Michigan State on Oct. 3. ... Jones appeared to suffer a right knee injury with 7:16 left in the third quarter and did not return. ... Wildcat RB Warren Long doubled his season touchdown production with a pair of first half scores and now has four for the season and career. ... Northwestern RB Justin Jackson passed 1,000 yards on the season in the fourth quarter and passed Kain Colter (2010-13) for eighth all-time with 2,220 yards. ... Northwestern travels to No. 25 Wisconsin next Saturday while Purdue travels to No. 5 Iowa. The Wildcats are 1-2 against teams in the College Football Playoff rankings, with a win over No. 7 Stanford and losses No. 5 Iowa and No. 14 Michigan.