Purdue walked into Friday night with a chance to make real noise, and instead left Ross-Ade Stadium with a result that stung in more than one way. Washington came in and got out with a 38-26 win, even after coughing it up five times.
That was the part Barry Odom kept coming back to afterward: the Boilermakers created the kind of turnover margin that usually tilts a game their way, yet still couldn’t turn it into a win. Purdue had the ball in favorable spots, had opportunities to cash in, and still watched the night slip away.
"When you're plus-three in the turnover margin, you usually win those games," Odom said. "When you end up in the that area, you give yourself a chance."
The early defense set things up for Purdue. Hudauri Hines picked off Washington on the first snap of the game, and Smiley Bradford added another interception on the Huskies’ third possession. But the Boilers only got three points out of those first two takeaways, missing a chance to make Washington pay right away.
Hines’ night ended there, too. The veteran defensive back was injured on the interception and did not return, and Odom pointed to that absence as a major reason Washington found more room through the air. Elijah Brown finished with 302 yards passing and three touchdowns, and Purdue’s back end looked more vulnerable after Hines went down.
"I think when Hudauri went out, that changed a little bit how we were playing on the back end. We've gotta continue to find ways, if that does happen, to put ourselves in position to play better," Odom said. "I thought we were active in some cases, then I didn't think we matched up very well when Hudauri went down in a couple of situations."
The ground game never gave Purdue the kind of balance it needed, either. After last week’s strong showing on the ground, the Boilermakers ran into a brick wall against Washington’s front.
Antonio Harris had the night’s lone explosive run for Purdue, a 59-yard burst that helped set up a first-half touchdown. Outside of that, there was little movement.
"I thought their defensive line at the line of scrimmage," Odom said. "Antonio got out on the one, bounced it outside ... but overall, they made it really, really difficult in the run game. They had everybody in the box and we were not able to counter that."
Purdue finished with 98 rushing yards, but without Harris’ long run, the Boilers managed just 39 yards on 26 carries, a 1.5 yards per carry average.
Odom was also asked whether his team may have looked past Washington after recent wins over Illinois and Minnesota. He rejected that idea plainly.
"The thought that we would overlook anyone, I mean, think about where this program started," Odom said. "We're not in the business of overlooking anybody.
That's not the case at all. Washington beat us."
One sequence in particular helped swing the game before halftime. Purdue had Washington in position for a third-down stop, but a roughing the passer penalty against Jojo Hayden extended the drive. Two plays later, the Huskies scored and took a 24-17 lead into the break.
Odom didn’t hide his frustration with the call, but he also said the team has to clean up the way it finishes plays.
"He said we landed on him too hard," Odom said. "So, we'll have to work on our positioning, once you leave your feet and tackle someone, how to land.
It's my fault. I haven't trained our players to land correctly on the tackle."
He later downplayed the penalty’s overall importance, even while acknowledging Purdue had enough chances to change the outcome. The turnover margin, the injury to Hines, the quiet run game and the roughing call all added up to a night that got away from the Boilermakers.
They’ll enter the bye at 3-4 and now have extra time to get ready for Penn State on Oct. 31.
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No. 13 Purdue heads into Friday night with a defense that has steadily tightened and now leads the Big Ten in digs per set, a promising sign for a team trying to prove it can hang with the leagues elite. The Boilermakers have leaned on that improved back line while building confidence through a tough stretch of conference play, and the matchup at Nebraska offers a clear chance to measure just how far that progress has carried.
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Washington arrives still looking for its first conference win, adding a little more intrigue to a game that already has plenty of it. The Huskies are also dealing with a change under center, with Elijah Williams expected to handle quarterback duties to start the night, so Purdue will see a familiar sort of test: a conference opponent with something to prove and just enough uncertainty to make Friday feel bigger than the record might suggest. [Read more 🡒]
Purdue Just Caught Washington At A Very Interesting Time
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Washington has been searching for answers offensively, especially on the ground, and Browns ability to steady the attack will matter plenty for a team trying to keep its conference season on track. The Huskies do not need a perfect performance so much as a workable one, because if the running game stays stalled, the pressure on Brown to carry the offense rises fast. [Read more 🡒]