Boilers blown out again, this time without a touchdown in Wisconsin

On Saturday, Purdue football (1-4, 0-2 Big Ten) traveled North for their first road game on the conference schedule. Despite trailing by just one score late in the first half, the Boilers were outmatched by Wisconsin (3-2, 1-1) in all aspects of the game and never found the endzone in a 52-6 loss. The beat goes on in West Lafayette as Purdue has now lost four straight games following their 49-0 win in the season opener against Indiana State.

The Badgers ran over Purdue easily, even considering they were coming off two brutal losses in a row and throwing a backup quarterback at the Boilers.

After parting ways with offensive coordinator Graham Harrell last week, all eyes were on Jason Simmons and how his play calling might change the team in his first week as offensive shot-caller. There were differences in the offensive approach, but not the results.

“Different personnel groupings, different types of run action, trying to get the ball to the perimeter, movement in the pocket,” were the changes head Coach Ryan Walters cited in the post-game press conference.

“We called some shot plays, but for whatever reason didn’t really take the shot.”

One of the offense’s biggest struggles was keeping drives alive. Purdue converted just third down one all game. Even in short yardage situations the Boilers were unable to gain the distance necessary to get a first.

“1-11 on third downs, you can’t win that way,” said Walters. “I thought we had chances to make plays downfield, we just didn’t make them.”

Senior quarterback Hudson Card completed only 11 of his 21 passes for 111 yards. His historic performance in Purdue’s first game of the year is now a distant memory and Saturday’s loss marked the fourth straight game that Card has thrown for less than 200 yards.

“Obviously it’s frustrating,” says Card. “I’m gonna look myself in the mirror, I’m gonna look very broadly on what we can do to be better and how I can be better and put the team in the best situation to win.”

The offense had some great chances to score in the second quarter, finding and-goal situations on two consecutive drives. However, that is as close as they got. The Badger defense stood strong at their own endzone, holding the Boilers to two field goals despite the golden opportunities.

Simmons tried to get creative near the goal line, but the unique plays that were run proved ineffective.

“Once we got into the red zone we knew that that was a possibility that those [plays] would come up,” said Card. “At the end of the day we just didn’t execute.”

The defense had some bright spots early. Coming into the game as the only FBS team without a takeaway on the season, the Boilers picked off Wisconsin quarterback Braedyn Locke twice in the first half, both from defensive back Kyndrich Breedlove.

The Badgers accumulated almost 600 total yards though, including over 200 from the rushing game. Purdue now stands as the third worst defense against the run in the country, allowing over 239 yards per game on the ground.

The Boilers’ standard man coverage was also exposed by Wisconsin. Locke threw for 359 yards on the day, including two touchdowns of more than 50 yards where his receivers ran right past the Purdue secondary.

A complete game offensively from the Badgers was impossible for the Boilermakers to handle. Running back Tawee Walker had a hattrick of rushing touchdowns while wide receiver Trech Kekahuna brought in six catches for 134 yards and two scores.

“Just technique,” is what Breedlove deemed the cause of Wisconsin’s explosive plays. “Our coaches put us in a good position to go out there and execute and we just gotta make the plays that we’re supposed to make.”

The Boilers fumbled the ball three times on the day, two of which were muffed punts by star safety Dillon Thieneman. Each play set the offense back as they tried to find a rhythm. While there were not as many penalties as prior games, the flags that were thrown cost Purdue dearly at the end of drives.

“If I’m being completely honest, we’re a bad football team right now,” said a frustrated Walters. “We’re undisciplined when it gets tight. We play with poor technique when it’s our turn to make a play. We get sloppy when we have to do things to make up ground.”

The Boilermakers are in store for another tough road game this Saturday when they take on No. 23 Illinois at 3:30 p.m. in Champaign, IL.