Here's our eclectic look of some of the numbers surrounding Purdue this week.
Purdue's 38:38 time of possession was the sixth highest of any team last week, and second in the Big Ten behind Minnesota (40:09). It's the most time of possession Purdue has had in a game since Brohm's third game at Purdue, a 35-3 win at Missouri where the Boilers had a whopping 43:43 time of possession.
86
Purdue's 86 plays were the most in a single game since the Boilers' Foster Farms Bowl win against Arizona in 2017, when they ran 93.
Purdue has now won two road games in a row while being an underdog by 7 points or more. The Boilers were 4-48 since 1995 in road games as a seven-point dog or more before this year's short streak, and were riding an eight-game losing streak under these conditions before this year's Iowa win. This year is the first time Purdue has won two such games in a single year since 1995, let alone twice in the same month.
37.5
Purdue is the second-lowest penalized team in the Power 5 with 4 penalties per game (for 37.5 yards), more than only Virginia Tech's 3.9. This is the lowest amount of penalties per game in the Brohm era by a fairly large margin: In order, from 2017 to 2020: 5.9, 6.2, 4.6, 7.0.
16 top 7
Aidan O'Connell ranks seventh in the country in a pair of metrics. On the positive side, his completion percentage of 71.0 is first in the Big Ten. On the negative side, his seven interceptions have him tied for most in the Big Ten with Taulia Tagovailoa of Maryland.
No. 10
Junior safety Cam Allen notched interceptions in three separate games, and two in the Iowa contest. His four picks on the year have him tied for second in the country, behind only Jaylan Foster of South Carolina, who has five, and tied for first in the Big Ten with two others.
45
2.6
Even with the return of Zander Horvath and an improved ground game in the win at Nebraska, Purdue's rushing situation remains historically dire. Purdue's 2.6 yards per rush ranks 129th/130 in the FBS, only better than Southern Miss (which is 1-7 in Conference USA). Since 2000, only the 2013 Purdue squad had a lower average, rushing for 2.5 yards per carry in a 1-11 season under Darrell Hazell.
45 for 6
Jalen Graham's 45-yard pick-six was Purdue's longest interception return TD since Ja'Whaun Bentley's 76-yard return against Minnesota in a 31-17 win in a game delayed by rain in 2018 in Ross-Ade Stadium. Purdue's most recent pick-six had was by Cory Trice, a 37-yarder in a 40-14 win over Maryland on Oct. 12, 2019.
Pick 4
Purdue has forced two opposing quarterbacks to throw four interceptions in a game this year - Adrian Martinez of Nebraska and Spencer Petras of Iowa. That hasn't happened in a single year for the Boilers since at least 2000. In fact, it has happened only five times in a game since 2000.
21, 2 and 4
Key numbers the last (and only) time Purdue played a No. 5 ranked Michigan State squad. On Oct. 16, 1999, receiver Chris Daniels set a Big Ten record with 21 catches for 301 yards. Amazingly, the No. 20-ranked Boilermakers and quarterback Drew Brees withstood two pick-sixes and four interceptions and still beat the Spartans by three touchdowns and a field goal. Brees did carve up coach Nick Saban's MSU defense to the tune of 509 yards, completing 40-of-57 passes.
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