True freshman Dillon Thieneman paced the Boilermakers on the defensive end racking up 12 tackles, his third game with 10-plus tackles as he continues to be the nation’s leading tackler among true freshmen.
Thieneman forced a pair of fumbles for his fourth and fifth takeaways of the year. The first came in the third quarter when he stripped Nebraska quarterback Heinrich Haarberg at the Huskers’ 13-yard line. He stonewalled Haarberg again in the fourth at the Nebraska 24-yard line. Cole Brevard came away with the ball both times.
Thieneman’s two forced fumbles matched the most in a game in school history, last accomplished by DaMarcus Mitchell in the Music City Bowl vs. Tennessee on Dec. 30, 2021. Brevard’s two fumble recoveries also tied the program record for a single game, the first time since Ryan Russell recovered two against Minnesota on Oct. 8, 2011.
The second fumble recovery led to Purdue’s first score of the game when quarterback Hudson Card hit Jayden Dixon-Veal for a 29-yard touchdown on a 3rd-and-15 in the fourth quarter.
The Boilermaker defense tied its season high with nine tackles-for-loss, led by dominant efforts from Kydran Jenkins (4.5 tackles-for-loss) and Nic Scourton (three). The pair accounted for Purdue’s first five stops behind the line. Jenkins also notched two sacks to add to his team-leading tally, finishing the day with seven sacks on the season.
Later in the fourth when Nebraska went for a 4th-and-1 at the Purdue 45-yard line, Jenkins stripped quarterback Jeff Sims in the backfield and took the ball 55 yards to the end zone. The play marked Purdue’s second fumble recovery score of the season.
Nebraska built up a 14-0 advantage at the break. The Cornhuskers opened the scoring after an eight-play drive, followed by a 73-yard passing touchdown after an interception. In the third, Nebraska added to the advantage with a 68-yard blocked field goal return for a touchdown.
Purdue’s defense came out strong in the second half and held Nebraska to 94 total yards, with a two-of-seven third-down conversion rate (29%) after halftime.
The Boilermakers allowed just six pass completions on the day from Haarberg, who led Nebraska with 122 yards and two touchdowns on 6-of-11 passing. Emmett Johnson led the Huskers with 76 yards and one touchdown on 13 carries.
Purdue quarterback Hudson Card completed 16 of 32 passes for 100 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
NOTES
• Nebraska evened the all-time series at 6-6.
• Dillon Thieneman and Cole Brevard matched single-game school records with two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, respectively.
• Kydran Jenkins posted career highs in sacks (two) and tackles-for-loss (4.5).
• Punter Jack Ansell hit a career-long 65-yard punt on Saturday. The Aussie finished with seven punts for 329 yards (47 average) with four pinned inside the 20.
• Jayden Dixon-Veal amassed a career-high four catches for 38 yards and his first collegiate touchdown reception.
• Andrew Sowinski caught a pass from Hudson Card for a successful two-point conversion in the fourth quarter, the Boilermakers’ first two-point conversion since vs. Indiana on Nov. 30, 2019.
UP NEXT
The Boilermakers will travel to the Big House to take on No. 2 Michigan in primetime on NBC next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
Recent Comments