By Packy Moore
PURDUE GAME NOTES
https://purduesports.com/documents/2024/10/14/2024_Purdue_Football_Game_Notes_Game_7_vs._Oregon.pdf
DONATE-HAMMER DOWN CANCER
https://one.bidpal.net/24fbhdc/browse/featured(details:item/1)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Following back-to-back road games, Purdue Football returns home to host No. 2 Oregon under the lights of Ross-Ade Stadium. Kickoff for Friday night’s game is set for 8 p.m. ET on FOX.
The contest is Purdue’s annual Hammer Down Cancer game, raising money for the Tyler Trent Research Center.
QUICK HITS
• Tim Stratton, the inaugural John Mackey Award winner (2000), will be inducted in the Leroy Keyes Purdue Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday. Stratton was a three-time First Team All-B1G honoree and recorded 204 career receptions.
• Friday’s matchup is Purdue’s only home game during the month of October, marking the first time since 1946 that the Boilermakers do not have a Saturday home game during the 10th month of the year.
• The Boilermakers and Ducks meet for just the fourth time in history, including the first meeting since 2009.
• Friday’s game is a blackout, with Purdue donning a new black uniform for the first time.
• Both the Boilermakers and the Ducks play the famous song “Shout” at the end of the third quarter. Purdue began the tradition in 2006, while Oregon’s started in 2010.
• Purdue has seven wins against ranked opponents over the past six seasons, including three against teams ranked in the Top 3 (No. 2 Ohio State in 2018, No. 2 Iowa in 2021, No. 3 Michigan State in 2021).
• The Boilermakers are coming off a heartbreaking 50-49 overtime loss at No. 23 Illinois in which they rallied for a 24-point second half deficit. Purdue scored 46 points after halftime.
• Redshirt freshman quarterback Ryan Browne recorded 415 yards of total offense (297 passing, 118 rushing) in his first career start last weekend, becoming just the second Purdue QB (Brandon Kirsch – 2002) since 1970 to eclipse 250 passing yards and 100 rushing yards in the same game.
• Four of Purdue’s remaining six games are against ranked opponents, including three ranked in the Top 5.
• One of the nation’s leading tacklers as an All-American a season ago, sophomore Dillon Thieneman ranks second in the Big Ten and eighth nationally in solo tackles (5.5 per game) this year. The 2023 Big Ten Freshman of the Year leads the Boilermakers in total tackles (50) and solo tackles (33) once again this season.
• Kydran Jenkins ranks third in the Big Ten in sacks (0.83 per game). Jenkins is the conference leader in sacks while wearing a Big Ten uniform, recording 21.5 throughout his career to also rank sixth in Purdue history.
• Tight end Max Klare leads the Boilermakers in receptions (21), receiving yards (352) and receiving touchdowns (2), coming off a career-best game (six receptions, 133 yards) at No. 23 Illinois.
• Devin Mockobee ranks fifth in the Big Ten in yards per carry (6.54) and eighth in rushing yards (464).
• Purdue has blocked three kicks this season (two field goals, one punt) to lead the Big Ten and rank third nationally.
• In his first season as a Boilermaker, Keelan Crimmins is on pace for the second-best punting average (45.0 yards per punt) in program history, behind only 2001 Ray Guy Award winner Travis Dorsch (48.1 yards per punt).
• Crimmins’ punting average ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 21st nationally.
HAMMER DOWN CANCER
• Friday night will be Purdue Football’s annual Hammer Down Cancer game, raising money for the Tyler Trent Research Center.
• The Tyler Trent Pediatric Cancer Research Center, named after the legendary superfan who passed away in 2019 from osteosarcoma, was formed in 2023 within the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research to expand Purdue’s research into childhood cancers.
SERIES HISTORY
• Purdue and Oregon will meet for just the fourth time, with the previous three games have been decided by a combined total of 14 points.
• A Boilermaker rushed for 100 yards or more in all three contests.
• In the first matchup in 1979, Wally Jones and John Macon combined for 261 yards on the ground, as No. 10 Purdue outgained the Ducks 401-143 in a 13-7 win.
• No. 16 Oregon rallied to defeat Purdue in double overtime in 2008, after the Boilermakers built up a 20-3 lead in the second.
• A year later, Purdue saw a last-minute rally come up short when its two-point conversion was ruled incomplete in a 38-36 loss.
RECENT SUCCESS VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
• Purdue has beaten seven ranked teams over the past six seasons, going 7-11 against Top 25 opponents despite being the underdog in each one of those games.
• Three of those wins were against Top 3 teams, while Purdue handed five of those ranked teams their first loss of the season.
• The victories during the 2021 campaign (No. 2 Iowa, No. 3 Michigan State) gave Purdue multiple wins over Top 5 teams in one season for the first time since 1960 (No. 3 Ohio State, No. 1 Minnesota).
• Five of the seven wins have been by double digits, the biggest being a 29-point victory over No. 2 Ohio State in 2018.
• Five of Purdue’s final seven opponents on its 2024 schedule are against ranked teams, including three ranked in the Top 5 (No. 2 Oregon, No. 3 Penn State, No. 4 Ohio State).
INTO THE HALL OF FAME
• Eight Boilermakers will be inducted into the Leroy Keyes Purdue Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday, including one football legend – tight end Tim Stratton (1998-2001).
• Stratton was the inaugural winner of the John Mackey Award in 2000, presented to the nation’s best tight end. He was also a finalist in 2001.
• He was a three-time First Team All-Big Ten Conference selection (1999, 2000, 2001), just the fourth in program history to earn the accolades three times.
• Stratton became just the third player in Big Ten history to eclipse 200 career catches, ending his career with 204 to set a then-school record that now ranks fifth in the Purdue record book.
• Playing in all 49 games during his four-year Purdue career, Stratton recorded a reception in all but two contests.
• Along with Stratton, the hall of fame class of 2024 includes: Devynne Charlton (Women’s Track & Field, 2013-18), Annie Drews (Volleyball, 2012-15), Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (Men’s Track & Field, 2013-16), Bob Ford (Men’s Basketball, 1970-72), Katie Gearlds (Women’s Basketball, 2004-07, current Purdue head coach), Laura Gonzalez-Escallon (Women’s Golf, 2010-13), Kevin Plawecki (Baseball, 2010-12).
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
• In 136 seasons of Purdue Football, the Boilermakers have played on Fridays 13 times throughout history, recording a 5-7-1 record. Seven of those games have been night games and only two have been in Ross-Ade Stadium.
• Friday’s matchup is the only home contest for Purdue during the month of October, marking the first time since 1946 that the Boilermakers will not have a Saturday home game during that month.
• For the first time in program history, the Boilermakers have two Friday games on the schedule.
• After hosting the Ducks, Purdue travels to Michigan State next month (Nov. 22) for a Friday night matchup.
WHAT CAN BROWNE DO FOR YOU?
• Making his first career start in place of an injured Hudson Card, redshirt freshman Ryan Browne rose to the occasion and nearly led Purdue to the biggest comeback in program history last weekend at No. 23 Illinois.
• Browne recorded 415 yards of offense, throwing for 297 while adding 118 on the ground to join Brandon Kirsch (2002) as the only Purdue quarterbacks since 1970 to record 250 passing yards and 100 rushing yards in the same game.
• The Clarkston, Michigan, native also became just the sixth Boilermaker quarterback to eclipse 100 yards rushing in a game, joining Mike Phipps, Bob Bobrowski, Gary Danielson, Rob Henry and Kirsch. His 118 rushing yards were the most by a Purdue quarterback since Henry had 132 at Northwestern on Oct. 9, 2010.
• Browne’s day on the ground eclipsed his 85-yard day he had in relief against Northwestern a season ago, as he joined Drew Brees as the only Purdue quarterbacks (since 1996) to produce a pair of 80-yard rushing games.
• For his performance against the Illini, Browne earned a 90.9 grade from PFF, the best by a Purdue QB on the road since at least 2008.
• Browne was tabbed the Shaun Alexander Player of the Week after performance vs. Illinois
SECOND HALF SPARK PLUG
• Trailing 27-3 in the second half at No. 23 Illinois (Oct. 12), the Purdue offense caught fire and scored 46 points after halftime (most points after halftime since at least 1980).
• The Boilermakers recorded 382 yards of total offense in the second half, averaging 11.9 yards per play.
• Ryan Browne threw for 288 of his 297 passing yards in the second half.
• Five different Boilermakers found the end zone after halftime: Jahmal Edrine, Will Heldt, Devin Mockobee (2), Jaron Tibbs, Arhmad Branch (OT).
• Purdue was a perfect 6-for-6 in the red zone in the game, including 5-for-5 in the second half (four touchdowns, one field goal).
COURTESY OREGON AND PURDUE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
