MORE: Ten things you need to know about Purdue's win at Northwestern | The 3-2-1: Purdue-Northwestern | Gold and Black Radio Express: Purdue-Northwestern | Final thoughts | Grading the Boilermakers | Data Driven | Upon further review

PDF: Purdue-Northwestern statistics

J.D. Dellinger wasn’t stressing. He wasn’t freaking out about the prospect of attempting a game-winning field goal in the final moments today at Northwestern.

“I had a good feeing we were at least gonna get a chance at it,” said Dellinger. “So, I was just doing my normal progression stuff in the net and waiting for my opportunity.”

And that opportunity came because Northwestern’s kicker doinked a 32-yard field goal off an upright that would have given the Wildcats a 25-21 lead with 2:30 left. Purdue would have needed a touchdown to win had Charlie Kuhbander made the kick. But his miss opened the door for the Boilermakers to steal the victory with a field goal of their own. And Dellinger delivered.

After the NU miss, Purdue sophomore walk-on quarterback Aidan O’Connell calmly marched the Boilers 58 yards on 11 plays to set up a 39-yard field goal into a strong wind.

“My pregame range was about a 47-yard field goal," said Dellinger, a junior who redshirt last season. “And I think that was 39. So, we were in it. It’s still a tough kick with the gusting wind. It was pretty much straight in my face going that way the entire game.

“So, I played a lower, slow-rising ball. And it ended up getting caught up there in the end. It took forever it seemed like to go in.”

The kick was good, giving the Boilermakers a 24-22 lead with three seconds hanging on the clock. Before the big boot, the Wildcats tried to ice Dellinger with a timeout. He was unfazed.

“It doesn’t bother me,” said Dellinger, who has made 10-of-12 field-goal attempts in 2019 with a long of 53. “Actually, I think it helps, honestly. It gives me a chance to catch my breath.”

And Dellinger did just that ... and then nailed the field goal.

“Every time I kick the ball, whether it’s an extra point or a game-winning field goal, I am going through the same progression through my head,” said Dellinger. “Keep my head down and keep my toe down, do what I have to do to be successful and make kicks and help this team win. So, it was the same thing, regardless of the situation.”

It was a situation he had been in before, way back in 2016 when he nailed a 28-yard field goal in overtime to deliver a 34-31 win at Illinois.

“It has been a while,” he said.

Dellinger’s clutch kick kept the bowl hopes for Purdue (4-6 overall; 3-4 Big Ten) alive.

"J.D. has been our most consistent guy all year," said Jeff Brohm. "He has kicked phenomenal, extra points, field goals, kickoffs. He was within range. We did have to factor in the wind. We wanted to try to get it somewhat in the middle of the field. And we had great confidence he would make that."

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