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Number Crunching: Purdue football Week 7

Desmond Tardy returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown in the 2007 game at Minnesota, and that contest is relevant to the Boilermakers' journey to New Jersey.
Desmond Tardy returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown in the 2007 game at Minnesota, and that contest is relevant to the Boilermakers' journey to New Jersey. (Tom Campbell)
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Here's our look at some of the numbers around Purdue football as it enters the second half of the season.

2002 - Year when Purdue held a team ranked in the top 10 to just a field goal over three quarters as it did Saturday vs. No. 7 Wisconsin. On Nov. 9, 2002, the Boilermakers led No. 3 Ohio State 6-3 with 7:50 left in the fourth quarter, before dropping a 10-6 decision to the eventual national champion Buckeyes.

206 - Yards rushed by Mike Hart of Michigan against Purdue on Oct. 23, 2004 in a 16-14 Wolverine win. It was the last time the Boilermakers had an opponent rush for over 200 yards and also hold it under 20 points prior to Saturday at Wisconsin.

5 - Wisconsin running backs who have rushed for over 200 yards in a game against the Boilermakers dating back to 1970, more than any other opponent. Montee Ball did it twice (2011-12). Jonathan Taylor's 224-yard effort on Saturday was the most by a Boilermaker opponent dating back to Ball's 247-yard total in 2011.

6-12-1 - Purdue's record (since 1930) in regular-season games games played in a Atlantic coast state. The last victory was in 2003 in Winston Salem, N.C., when the Boilermakers upended No. 20 Wake Forest 16-10.

8 - Purdue's tackles for loss against Wisconsin. Ironically, Purdue's two best efforts in this category were against the two highest-ranked teams it has faced this season as the Boilermakers also had eight TFLs vs. No. 8 Michigan.

1996 - Most recent year that a top-10 ranked foe failed to score in a half against the Boilermakers. No. 9 Michigan was blanked in the first half during a 9-3 loss to Purdue Nov. 9, 1996 in Ross-Ade Stadium. In 2017, the Boilermakers have yet to give up a point on the road in their two true road games (Missouri and Wisconsin).

33 - Purdue's national ranking in scoring defense, giving up just 20.2 points per contest. That's an 18.1 per game improvement, second best in the country, from last year when it ranked 117th nationally, giving up 38.3 points per contest.

23 - Consecutive games tight end Cole Herdman has caught a pass. That is the fourth-best total among conference players, as Maryland's D.J. Moore is tops with 27 straight.

45 - Consecutive games head coach Jeff Brohm's teams had scored at least a touchdown in a game. That streak was snapped Saturday.

353 - Purdue record in yardage for interception returns accomplished in a nine-game season in 1957. Through six games in 2017, the Boilermakers have 219 interception return yards (already 14th all-time and the best since 2012) with 80 of those yards coming Saturday against the Badgers.

8 - Amount Purdue is favored over Rutgers, according to the early line on DannySheridan.com. It is the most Purdue has been favored against a Big Ten foe on the road since it was a two-touchdown pick at Minnesota on Sept. 22, 2007. The Boilermakers won that game 45-31.

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