Purdue (4-3, 3-1) outplayed, outcoached and most of all showed more heart and more toughness in crushing Ohio State (7-1, 4-1) 49-20 at Ross-Ade stadium in West Lafayette.
The No. 2 ranked Buckeyes entered the game two-touchdown favorites but never led and were outscored in the second half by a whopping 35-17 margin.
The Buckeyes had built an undefeated season-record on the basis of a one-dimensional passing offense that has been able to outscore opponents despite what has been a weak defense. That passing game has covered up glaring weaknesses in the running game, especially in the red zone.
Despite the shortcoming the Buckeyes were winning games, but against the Boilermakers they all caught up with them. The result was a thumping that will not be quickly or easily forgotten.
The Buckeyes hung close in the early going. A Purdue touchdown led to an early 7-0 lead.
OSU was able to put together a scoring drive to answer the early Boilermaker touchdown with a field goal to pull to within four at 7-3. The kick closed the gap, but OSU lack of physicality in the running game, particularly in run blocking, was exposed on the drive. The Buckeyes had a 1st-and-goal on the 8 but could advance just one yard closer to the end zone in three plays.
The Buckeyes had another good looking drive that began on their own two-yard line and moved the ball 84 yards in 15 plays but bogged down when they again could not move the ball in the red zone. After advancing to a 1st-and-10 at the Purdue 17, the could move only one yard closer. On 4th down Blake Haubeil missed a 33 yard field goal attempt wide left and OSU came up empty.
The inability to get tough yards in the red zone was an omen of things to come.
The 7-3 score held until Purdue’s last possession of the first half. The Boilers started at their own 20-yard line and moved quickly to a 1st-and-10 at the OSU 20. Four plays later and with just 31 seconds remaining in the half the Boilers faced a 4th-and-3 at the 13 and sent their kicker onto the field for an apparent field goal attempt. Instead they ran a fake field goal that went for four yards and a first down at the nine. The Boilers scored on the next play to make it 14-3 at the half.
The Buckeyes received the second-half kickoff and drove to a first and goal at the 10-yard line. The red zone woes again surfaced and they gained just four yards before settling for another field goal from Haubeil to make it 14-6, but Purdue answered immediately with a touchdown drive to make it 21-6.
The fourth quarter proved to be OSU’s undoing. The Boiler offensive line was able to open running lanes for Purdue running backs. The physical play allowed a 42-yard rushing touchdown by running back D.J. Knox to make the score 28-6 early in the fourth quarter.
OSU finally put a touchdown on the board on a 34-yard pass from Dwayne Haskins to Johnnie Dixon to make it 28-13. Purdue answered immediately with another rushing touchdown by Knox, this one from 40 yards out to make it 35-13. Another TD toss from Haskins to Terry McLaurin made it 35-20 but that was as close as the Buckeyes were going to get. Purdue immediately answered with a 43-yard touchdown pass of their own, then closed out the scoring with a pick-six to make the final 49-20.
OSU’s offensive line showed almost no ability to block in the running game. The Buckeyes tallied just 76 yards rushing on 25 attempts. Mike Weber was OSU’s leading rusher with 45 yards. The Boilermakers, meanwhile, rushed for 161 net yards and scored three touchdowns on the ground. Tailback D.J. Knox went for 128 yards on 16 carries and scored three touchdowns.
The lack of a rushing game forced OSU to the air. Haskins attempted a school-record 73 passes. He completed 49 for a school-record 470 yards and two touchdowns with the one interception. The gaudy passing numbers were wasted however, when the Buckeyes could not generate any kind of running game and were so weak in the red zone.
Purdue quarterback David Blough was 25 of 43 for 378 yards and three touchdowns. Freshman sensation wide receiver Rondale Moore had 12 receptions for a game-high 170 yards. Purdue had no turnovers in the game. OSU committed a whopping 10 penalties that were often costly. The Buckeyes actually out-gained Purdue 546 total yards to 539 but were unable to put points on the board to match the yardage.
Best one dimensional team with no defense in the country.
Another Iowa, but worse. It’s worse, not because this Purdue team will finish 6-6 (which they will), but because the Iowa debacle is less than one year old. How could the wheels fall off so completely against a very average opponent again? The problem is Urban Meyer. Everyone knows it but few will say it. He’s checked out and the talent can’t save him because they aren’t as talented as they thought (hoped). I’m not knocking coach. When you’re done, you’re done. He’s done. I hope he can leave with a little grace and dignity. That means finding a way to beat Michigan and making a strong showing in the bowl game…
Fire the coach? Urban’s record is superb. We lack speed and quickness on the line and you can’t coach that. We don’t have near the overall talent that some other top ten teams have and that’s most evident at the line of scrimmage. The loss of Bosa has crippled the D. You can’t win a national championship with only an outstanding passing game. Having said that, I think you’ll see an inspired effort at E. Lansing.
Woody said it best, “there nothing that cleanses the soul like getting the hell beat out of you.”
Fred he doesn’t need fired. In Meyers mind he’s already checked out. This team has been coachless the whole season. You haven’t noticed it? Sure his record in the past is superb, but we’re talking about the present and the last 3 years. Don’t confuse winning in a weak conference as being a dominant team. Numbers mean little. Results tell a more accurate story and this team is loaded with talent but has few coaches developing that talent.
Fred- yes, his prior record is superb. No, Nick Bosa’s presence wouldn’t have changed last night’s travesty, that defense needs a LOT more than him. I think that commenter Brian may just be onto something, however…
One of the most difficult things for any career person to recognize, is the time when they are on the bad side of the curve in terms of career peak. This reality is magnified by about, oh, one thousand times when the test group is egomaniacs who are used to getting their way and not having to answer for their work product. Over the past couple years, we have seen the weak spots in the armor. Players being rushed in to play when they are not physically able, internal strife (the Zack Smith stuff lay at Meyer’s feet and there’s no “but he didn’t fail to report DV” angle even involved), HORRID hiring practices among friends, dismissive or non-responsive replies to valid concerns about the team, on and on… Meyer looks very much indeed like someone who has “checked out”. We are watching a guy who has finally been caught- or who the game has caught up to, perhaps. Fans aren’t genuflecting at him constantly, people actually expect substance rather than truisms and utter nonsense, and he cannot deliver and is actually offended/annoyed that he isn’t granted unlimited leash. The time may be right to cut bait before the wheels fall off.
I remember watching a couple of NBA greats who retired at roughly the same time- Dr J and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Dr J retired when he still had “it”, Kareem could barely will himself down the court and was a shadow of his former self. That’s how I will always remember DR J…and Abdul Jabbar.
I’m not fabricating this for giggles, all the signs are there. At barest minimum- and this is bare minimum- half the coaches need to go after the final game AND Meyer needs to take a ceremonial view of his head coaching title (meaning stay out of the way). I don’t think he has the humility to do that, so the other answer is look for someone else before it becomes a dumpster fire all the way around.
I’m at a loss with the play of this team. passing is the one good thing and everything else is so mediocre
Nice headline, John. I imagined Tony writing that we got debacled but you got it instead.
I’ve never called for a coach to be fired because, well, I always thought that I don’t see enough nor am privy to enough information for it. Call ’em out? Sure, but fired? I think Tim Beck was the only one so far that I’ve out-and-out called for firing.
But this team clearly has weaknesses on the OL, LB, and overall defense that have been awful for 2 years now. Studrawa, Davis, and Schiano need to go. I don’t even feel the need to post the cases against them because imo we’ve all seen it.
This is easily the worst Buckeye team this millenium and that includes the transition of 2011. Coach Fickell’s team also lost this weekend but they didn’t get debacled.
I’m also not usually a doom-and-gloom fan but I can’t say for sure that the Bucks win ANY game left on the schedule. Even lowly Nebraska is looking better each week and after getting manhandled by a Purdue team that shouldn’t have been able to do what they did, who knows?
Does Joe Burrow make a difference? What if?
Jeaux’s numbers are pretty pedestrian-to-bad at LSU but he has a stellar defense behind him AND his receivers truly suck.
Perhaps the more salient question is what could Tater do?
They have us right where we want them, OSU will win out!! Enjoyed reading the post by Kurt Mews.
Here’s a thought, Haskins first half, Martel second half.
Surprised we got beat so badly but not that we lost. Most games are won up front and we have lost the battle at the line of scrimmage for 3 consecutive weeks. Silly to blame the coaches when we just don’t have the talent up front. The offensive side speaks for itself and the defensive line hasn’t had an effective pass rush unless we blitz.
Unfortunately blitzing creates other problems. Quick feet are are a plus up front and we don’t have it.
Hard to blame the coaches really? The coaches recruited these players! The coaches are clueless and do they same thing over and over. Do they even make any adjustments at half time? CLUELESS!
What do you mean its silly to blame the coaches for the offensive line play? They recruit 4 and 5 star recruits and Wisconsin gets 2 and 3 star recruits. Wisconsin has a better offensive line every year.
Had a very bad feeling about this game that worsened throughout the week. That feeling was vindicated Saturday night. The final score indicates a team that was out coached, but more importantly was finally and rightfully exposed. Last week I wrote that OSU ws lucky against MN. How correct I was as our horrendous OL and poorly coached back 7 was exposed. I don’t believe that Urban will fire the incompetent individuals. I easily see us losing 3 out of the next four.
Kurt- You are correct, sir. If we consider this game objectively- a tough thing to do, I know- it shows us that a motivated and well prepared team CAN defeat a more highly touted outfit. Meyer’s lousy management is killing the team internally, which leads to external failure. EXPOSED.
same old crap all year just getting worse….the linebacker and OL line coaches need fired…i can’t even believe this is an Ohio St. team…..they are playing with NO emotion or heart, Meyer has looked tired and worn down all year (I’m sure from the offseason), losing the best player in college football sucks but THIS is pathetic..how we can’t get more than a yard or two at a time running is beyond me….if something doesn’t get fixed in bye week this team has 2-3 more losses coming..inexcusable. i don’t expect perfection, but i sure do expect WAY more than this pile of garbage we keep seeing….
same old crap all year just getting worse….the linebacker and OL line coaches need fired…i can’t even believe this is an Ohio St. team…..they are playing with NO emotion or heart, Meyer has looked tired and worn down all year (I’m sure from the offseason), losing the best player in college football sucks but THIS is pathetic..how we can’t get more than a yard or two at a time running is beyond me….if something doesn’t get fixed in bye week this team has 2-3 more losses comng..inexcusable. i don’t expcet perfection, but i sure do expect WAY more than this pile of garbage we keep seeing….
That’s right the big bad Buckeyes laid another egg to an unranked team,how’s it feel to be one of the worst teams ever to be ranked #2,how does it feel when your supposed to be elite with 4and 5 star players and get your ass kicked by 2and3 star players,I hope somehow you elite coaches can turn this around but it don’t look good
I would say unbelievable, but I guess that would be the wrong word since we all saw this loss coming the last two weeks. It is time that Urban Meyer take a look in the mirror and ask himself if he really wants to be the head football coach at the Ohio State University anymore. Last year it was Iowa. This year it’s Purdue and the season isn’t even over yet. Well at least that purdue student who has cancer got to see his team win big.