Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Purdue (Homecoming)
Wildcats Knocked Off By Purdue
10/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct 26, 2002
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EVANSTON, Ill. - Despite another 100-yard rushing performance from junior Jason Wright, Northwestern fell 42-13 to the Purdue Boilermakers on Saturday at Ryan Field, spoiling the Wildcats' homecoming.
Wright gained 101 yards on 15 carries for his fifth 100-yard performance of the year. Purdue (4-5, 2-3) snapped a three-game losing streak while Northwestern (2-7, 0-5) dropped its fifth in a row.
Purdue's Brandon Jones and Joey Harris ran for more than 100 yards apiece as Purdue totaled 407 on the ground Saturday and earned its first road victory in more than a year.
The Boilermakers enjoyed their most productive running day since 1994.
Jones rushed for a career-best 165 yards on 20 carries, and Harris gained another 132 yards on 27 attempts and scored twice. Jerod Void also ran for two touchdowns, and freshman quarterback Brandon Kirsch threw for two as Purdue piled up 551 yards of total offense.
The Wildcats fell behind 21-0, but tried to get back in the game in the second quarter when they forced a pair of Purdue fumbles. NU capitalized on the first Boiler mistake, a fumble by freshman quarterback Brandon Kirsch at the Purdue 45. David Thompson forced the fumble and Doug Szymul recovered for the Wildcats.
Seven plays later Northwestern was in the end zone when Wright rushed over right tackle for a 1-yard TD score. Quarterback Tony Stauss completed a 23-yard pass to Jon Schweighardt on a key third-down play to keep the drive alive.
On Purdue's next series, the Wildcats recovered another fumble by Kirsch, this one at the Boilermaker 35-yard line. This time, however, Purdue's defense came up with the stop. A 15-yard pass interference penalty against Northwestern killed any chances of moving to within one score of Purdue.
Northwestern kept the score at 21-7 when its defense came up with a goal-line stand with just under two minutes remaining in the half. The Boilermakers drove 93 yards to the Wildcat 1-yard line, but Northwestern stopped Purdue on a 4th-and-goal play.
Thanks to a 40-yard run by Wright, the Wildcats made a bid to get some more points before halftime, but the drive stalled at the Purdue 40-yard line.
The Boilermakers regained the momentum when Harris went 2 yards to finish off a 64-yard scoring march with 5:50 left in the third period. Kirsch connected with Jones on a 38-yard TD pass, and Void ran in from 4 yards out in the fourth quarter before Northwestern scored on Stauss' 4-yard pass to Brandon Horn. That was Horn's first career touchdown.
Purdue attempted just 10 passes in the game, but completed eight for 144 yards and two scores.
The Wildcats return to Ryan Field next week, entertaining Indiana at 11 a.m. CST.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
