Time Warp--Oct. 10, 1998: Brees throws NCAA record 83 times at Wisconsin

MORE TIME WARPS: Sept. 5, 2004: Purdue pummels Syracuse, 51-0 | Sept. 12, 1992: Purdue stuns Cal, 41-14 | Sept. 19, 1998: Purdue stymies UCF and Culpepper, 35-7 | Sept. 26, 1981: Purdue stuns Notre Dame late, 15-14 | Oct. 3, 1970: Purdue shocks No. 3 Stanford

As we wait for Big Ten football to begin, GoldandBlack.com has been looking back at big Purdue games on dates the Boilermakers were slated to play on their original 2020 schedule.

Today—October 10—Purdue would be playing host to Rutgers. Let’s look back at the Boilermakers’ wild trip to Wisconsin back in 1998. Yes, it was a loss, but the game was memorable because of the epic performance by Drew Brees.

The set up: Purdue was a program on the rise in its second season under Joe Tiller. And the expectations were growing with the continued development of sophomore quarterback Drew Brees.

The Austin, Texas, native was in his first season as a starter, and his promise was obvious. The Boilermakers sported a 3-2 record as they trekked to Madison to play the No. 12 Badgers. Purdue opened with a loss at USC in the Pigskin Classic and followed with home victories vs. Rice and UCF. Then, Purdue came oh-so-close to winning at Notre Dame, falling, 31-30, before eviscerating Minnesota 56-21 in Ross-Ade Stadium.

How would Brees and Co., do vs. Barry Alvarez and Wisconsin, who were 5-0? The game kicked off a 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2 in front of 78,782 fans.

What happened: Purdue dominated in every aspect … except for the scoreboard.

The Boilermakers outgained the Badgers, 570-229, and had 33 first downs to Wisconsin’s 14. But Purdue was done in by five turnovers in the seven-point loss, as Badger back Ron Dayne rushed 33 times for 127 yards and a TD. Wisconsin signal-caller Mike Samuel hit just 5-of-10 passes for 44 yards and was sacked five times.

The week before in a demolition of Minnesota, Brees threw for a school-record 522 yards with six TDs. Against Wisconsin, Brees tied an NCAA record with 55 completion and set the NCAA mark for pass attempts with 83. He finished with 494 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions.

Badger corner Jamar Fletcher broke a 17-17 tie late in the third quarter with a 52-yard pick six. A few moments later, the “Jump Around” tradition to start fourth quarters in Camp Randall Stadium was born. This was a very good Wisconsin team that went on to finish 11-1 overall and 7-1 in the Big Ten, beating UCLA in the Rose Bowl and ranking No. 6 in the final AP poll.

“I don’t care about records,” said Brees, who wasn’t sacked. “I just want to win. Anybody can throw the ball 83 times, it is a matter of completing them and getting in the end zone and not turning the ball over and winning the game. That’s the most important thing.”

Wideout Randall Lane made 18 grabs for 178 yards, while Chris Daniels caught 14 passes for 131 yards and two TDs for the Boilermakers

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Why it mattered: Yes, Purdue lost. But, Brees gained a lot. His rubber-armed effort caught the nation’s attention. America knew who Brees was, and Purdue gained more traction as a “team on the rise” under Tiller, who was just beginning his makeover of the moribund program.

Brees established himself as a national brand with his late-game heroics vs. the K-State in the Alamo Bowl, setting himself up to be a Heisman Trophy finalist his last two seasons en route to leading the Boilermakers to the Outback (1999) and Rose Bowls (2000).

Purdue’s rep as the “den of defensive ends” also began to take hold, as the Boilermakers featured fearsome ends like Rosevelt Colvin, Chike Okeafor and Chukie Nwokorie in 1998. The d-line also include fellow future NFLers in tackles Matt Mitrione and David Nugent.

The aftermath: Purdue lost the next week at No. 12 Penn State, falling 31-13. But the Boilermakers wouldn’t lose again, finishing the 1998 season with six wins in succession.

The 1998 season was another brick in the wall of Tiller’s remarkable rebuilding of Purdue. The Boilermakers finished 9-4 overall and 6-2 in the Big Ten, capping the season with a memorable last-second 37-34 victory vs. No. 4 Kansas State in the Alamo Bowl to rank No. 24 in the final AP poll.

The best was yet to come under Tiller.

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