WEST LAFAYETTE — The Purdue football team faced heavy criticism as they exited the field at halftime, having fallen behind by 42 points to Notre Dame, a team that had recently lost to Northern Illinois at home.
Despite having two weeks to prepare for the matchup, the Boilermakers’ defense struggled significantly, allowing almost 400 total yards, with 278 of those on the ground during the first half. The 19th-ranked Fighting Irish showcased their strength on both sides of the ball, leading to a decisive 66-7 victory at Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday.
This loss comes as a surprise, especially since the Irish had averaged only 18.5 points in their first two games, while Purdue had dominated Indiana State in a recent 49-0 victory.
In a historically poor performance, this defeat marks the worst loss for Purdue in the program’s 137-year history, with Notre Dame’s score surpassing previous records for points scored against the Boilermakers. Just six years ago, Purdue allowed 56 points to Auburn in the Music City Bowl, and a loss to LSU in the Citrus Bowl two years ago had been the previous record at 63-7.
Purdue’s offensive efforts were stifled by Notre Dame’s elite defense. Just five plays into the game, the Boilermakers found themselves down 7-0. They struggled to establish any ground game until late in the first half. Prior to that, Purdue had recorded negative rushing yards, ultimately finishing with just 38 yards on 25 carries, averaging a mere 1.5 yards per attempt.
Quarterback Hudson Card, who had set a record in his previous game, appeared under pressure and completed only 11 of 24 passes for 124 yards, with two interceptions. His only bright spot came with a touchdown throw to De’Nylon Morrissette following a long completion to Kam Brown.