WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) – Purdue entered Saturday’s game against Notre Dame with a two-quarterback system, and left it with a 38-10 loss and uncertainty at the position.
Caleb TerBush started and completed 10 of 15 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown in the 38-10 loss. Robert Marve relieved TerBush in the second quarter and had enough success to earn the start in the second half, but he couldn’t move the team after the break. TerBush re-entered the game and threw a touchdown pass, but it came in the final minute with the Boilermakers trailing 38-3.
Antavian Edison, who caught seven passes for 105 yards and a touchdown, said either quarterback is capable.
“Switching really doesn’t affect me,” he said. “I trust both guys to make the right reads and the right decisions.”
Neither found a comfort level against Notre Dame. TerBush barely moved the team early and didn’t play again until the game was out of reach. Marve completed 9 of 22 passes for 91 yards. He often succeeded in extending plays with his elusiveness, but couldn’t make the connections.
The running game didn’t help. Purdue entered the game ranked 11th nationally in rushing, but finished with 84 yards on 27 carries.
“I didn’t think we’d rush for 200 yards, but I thought we’d establish the run and allow ourselves to cash in on play-action and rollouts,” Purdue coach Danny Hope said. “They did a good job, had a good game plan and they have outstanding players.”
While Purdue struggled, Notre Dame clicked on all cylinders.
Michael Floyd had 12 catches for 137 yards and a touchdown, Cierre Wood ran for a career-high 191 yards, Jonas Gray rushed for 94 yards and Tommy Rees passed for 254 yards and three touchdowns for the Fighting Irish (3-2).
Notre Dame outgained Purdue 551 yards to 276 in its most dominant performance of the season. It was a season-high yardage total for the Irish and their third game with at least 500 yards of offense.
Notre Dame also cut out its mistakes. The Fighting Irish committed 15 turnovers in their first four games, but went without one against the Boilermakers. Purdue committed 13 penalties for 118 yards.
Floyd caught just four passes for 27 yards the previous week against Pittsburgh, and he talked during the week about his willingness to be a decoy for Notre Dame’s other talented receivers.
That wasn’t necessary on Saturday – it took him less than a minute to surpass his yardage total against Pitt. Purdue’s TerBush threw an interception right to Notre Dame’s Gary Gray on the first play from scrimmage and two plays later, Rees found Floyd beyond Purdue’s defense for a 35-yard touchdown pass 24 seconds into the game.
After Purdue was forced to punt, Notre Dame drove 81 yards before stalling. Purdue’s Kawann Short blocked David Ruffer’s 28-yard field-goal try, and the Boilermakers escaped the threat.
Later in the first quarter, Purdue had Notre Dame stopped on a third-and-goal, but an unsportmanlike conduct penalty on Albert Evans gave the Irish a first down. Notre Dame then scored on a 2-yard run by Jonas Gray to take a 14-0 lead.
Ruffer missed a 49-yard field goal early in the second quarter, and Marve entered the game for Purdue’s next possession.
Purdue went three-and-out, and Notre Dame quickly took advantage. Catching Purdue in a blitz, Wood broke into the secondary and ran 55 yards to give the Irish a 21-0 lead with 9:06 left in the second quarter.
Purdue finally got on the board when Carson Wiggs made a 27-yard field goal with 3:39 left in the second quarter to trim Notre Dame’s lead to 21-3.
Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame’s improving tight end who had just one catch in the first half, caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Rees early in the third quarter to make it 28-3. Later in the quarter, TJ Jones caught an 11-yard pass from Rees to push the lead to 35-3.
Purdue finally got into the end zone late in the game. TerBush finished a 95-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Edison with 21 seconds remaining.
The late score took little of the embarrassment from the loss for the Boilermakers.
“Overall, it was very frustrating,” Edison said. “As a team, we wished to execute better. We need to wake up tomorrow and work harder.”
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Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/cliffbruntap
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