Fame Ijeboi runs over his former team as Purdue routs Minnesota 41-13

Fame Ijeboi made his old team pay on Saturday. The Purdue running back carried 31 times for 195 yards and three touchdowns against Minnesota, and quarterback Ryan Browne added a career-type night as the Boilermakers beat the Gophers 41-13 at Ross-Ade Stadium.

SB Nation reported that Ijeboi's 195 yards rank 15th on Purdue's single-game list. Browne completed 14 of 24 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown and ran for 81 yards and another score. The win is Purdue's second straight. It brings the Boilermakers to 3-3 overall and 2-1 in Big Ten play, and drops Minnesota to 4-2.

Purdue took control early. According to SB Nation, the Boilermakers scored on four of their five first-half drives. The only drive that came up empty ended on a failed fourth-and-1 from the shotgun with Ijeboi on the sideline. Ijeboi had 131 rushing yards by halftime. Browne went 10 of 15 for 112 yards and a touchdown in the half and gained 56 yards on three carries, often buying time with his legs.

The defense, which has taken plenty of criticism this season, matched the offense. Minnesota's five first-half drives ended in four punts and a field goal, and Jojo Hayden ended the Gophers' last threat of the half with an interception. That sent Purdue into the locker room up 20-3.

Purdue kept the pressure on after the break. The Boilermakers forced a quick Minnesota punt and then went 69 yards in seven plays, finishing with another Ijeboi touchdown for a 27-3 lead. The Gophers made one push. After a 61-second Purdue three-and-out, Minnesota scored a touchdown in three plays and 22 seconds to cut the deficit to 27-13 in the third quarter.

Purdue's answer was a nine-play, 75-yard drive, helped along by an offside penalty and a pass interference call on Minnesota. Browne capped it with a 2nd-and-11 touchdown run, slipping past several defenders, to make it 34-13 with a little more than 13 minutes left. On Minnesota's next possession, Purdue stuffed the Gophers on fourth-and-1. Shortly after, a Purdue punt hit a Minnesota returner who had been blocked into the ball, and the Boilermakers recovered inside the 10. Ijeboi scored on fourth-and-1 out of a direct-snap package to make it 41-13 with 7:35 left.

With the game decided, Purdue gave the final possession to backup quarterback Evan Chuba.

Purdue now plays its second straight home game on a short week. Washington comes to Ross-Ade for a Friday night game in six days. A win would put the Boilermakers above .500 at 4-3 and make them 3-1 in conference play, which seemed unlikely after the way their season started. They will need the running game and the improved defense to hold up against the Huskies. Minnesota has to regroup after a game in which its offense managed just three points before halftime and its former running back did the most damage.