NASHVILLE -- Every worst-case scenario for Purdue occurred in the 2018 Music City Bowl.
In a very forgettable 63-14 loss to Auburn, Purdue surrendered the most points in school history, gave up the most points in a half in college football postseason history and allowed the Tigers to score a touchdown on each of their first nine offensive drives.
"When you play a team like them you've got to play well, (and) you have to force them not to play well," Purdue coach Jeff Brohm said. "We did the opposite."
Following the first eight minutes of action, Purdue (6-7) found itself down 21-0 as Auburn tailback JaTarvious Whitlow became the first player in school history to score three touchdowns in a single bowl game.
Auburn (8-5) set a school record for most points in a half as the Tigers averaged 11 yards per play in a first half that saw Purdue go into the halftime locker room down 56-7. Purdue's defense allowed 16 plays of 10 yards or more and six passing plays of 30 yards or more. The 49-point margin was the largest loss in a bowl game for Purdue.
"We got exposed in a lot of areas today we may have masked for a little bit," Brohm said. "That one snowballed faster than most. I've been part of games that were a bad outcome, but that one happened fast. Every little thing that (could go) wrong seemed like it (did)."
The only stop Purdue's defense forced in the first half was when Auburn took a knee on the final play before halftime. Auburn punter Arryn Siposs didn't make an appearance until three minutes and 12 seconds left in third quarter and the Tigers were leading at that point 63-14. The 56 points scored by Auburn in the first half were a school record and the most points the Boilermakers had allowed in 30 minutes by two touchdowns.
Jarrett Stidham impressed NFL scouts in his final game in an Auburn uniform as the projected early-round selection in the upcoming draft had a near-career-high 335 yards in the first 30 minutes of action. Stidham finished the contest with 373 passing yards and five scores through the air. Purdue's inability to create much of a pass rush was apparent from the opening possession as Stidham averaged 25.8 yards per completion in the first half.
"They were getting a lot of deep shots on us. Sometimes it felt like we couldn't do anything about it," Purdue linebacker Markus Bailey said. "They definitely jumped out on us with their speed."
David Blough finished 22-of-37 for 184 yards and two interceptions, one of which was deflected and returned for a touchdown, in the final game of his collegiate career. Blough exited the game in the middle of the fourth quarter to an ovation from the Purdue fans at Nissan Stadium and an embrace from Jeff Brohm. Blough finished four yards shy of joining Drew Brees (12,692) and Curtis Painter (11,511) as the only Purdue quarterbacks ever to amass 10,000 yards in total offense.
"It's frustrating. It's embarrassing when you're going through it," Blough said. "Obviously right now it hurts after just getting our butts kicked."
Rondale Moore, who was Purdue's first consensus All-America selection since Ryan Kerrigan in 2010, finished his first bowl game with 104 total yards and a touchdown on a seven-yard jet sweep run.
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