PDF: Purdue-Indiana statistics
BLOOMINGTON — For the second straight season, Purdue fans can celebrate both the Old Oaken Bucket coming home and bowl eligibility following a win over rival Indiana.
Purdue defeated IU 28-21 to ensure postseason play in consecutive seasons, while the Hoosiers end their season 5-7 for the second year in a row, thanks to a loss in the annual rivalry game.
Rondale Moore certainly made an impact in his first Bucket Game as the freshman finished with two touchdown receptions and his seventh 100-plus-yard game of the season.
Moore gave Purdue the lead in the second quarter on a 56-yard deep ball from David Blough on which Moore simply beat both Indiana safeties on a straight vertical route. Moore then beat double coverage in the third quarter on an out-and-up route for a 33-yard touchdown. Moore even recovered Indiana's onside kick attempt to seal the victory.
When asked about the future of the program, the freshman wide receiver responded with three words: "Big Ten championship."
"We knew he would be a difference-maker and I probably undersold him to be quite honest with you," Brohm said. "Nobody stopped him. Nobody contained him and numerous teams tried this season."
Blough finished with 310 yards through the air and three touchdowns as the fifth-year senior moved past Curtis Painter into third all-time in school history with 69 career touchdown passes. Blough tied Jim Everett and Drew Brees with his seventh 300-yard passing game of the season.
"For Purdue football (going to bowl games) should be the norm and it hasn't been in the past. With Coach Brohm, it has been," Blough said. "Obviously I get a few more weeks to play football with my friends in college, so what more could I want than that?"
Purdue got on the scoreboard first with an 11-yard scoring pass from Blough to Isaac Zico. The Boilermakers got five passing plays of 15 yards or more against a youthful Hoosier secondary.
Indiana tailback Stevie Scott crossed the century mark for yards on the ground for the fourth time in five games but the Hoosier pass game was inefficient, 6-of-17 on third- and fourth-down conversions.
Purdue was able to make it a two-score lead on a 32-yard touchdown run by Markell Jones. Jones, who rushed for 217 yards against Indiana in the Bucket Game win last year, ends his Purdue career with 443 rushing yards and three touchdowns against the Hoosiers.
"I try to treat it just like a regular game," Jones said, "but then I get out here and something switches."
Purdue (6-6, 5-4 in Big Ten) won the Old Oaken Bucket in Bloomington for the first time since 2011 and will be eligible for a bowl game in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2012.
"We wanted to find a way to improve upon last year, which meant going to a bowl game of course," Brohm said. "To start the season 0-3 then figure out a way to beat three ranked teams, go through a little slump and then find a way to win this is great. That's football. That's life. Our guys understand that."
Purdue defeated the Hoosiers (5-7, 2-7) last season 31-24 in Jeff Brohm's debut in the rivalry game. Brohm became the fourth Purdue coach since 1940 to win his first two games against IU, joining Jack Mollenkopf, Alex Agase and Joe Tiller.
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