Purdue 41, Minnesota 13: Fame Ijeboi and a 305-yard ground game take over

Purdue beat Minnesota on the ground, and it was not close. The Boilermakers ran for 305 yards to Minnesota's 27, held the ball for 37:07 and turned that control into a 41-13 win at Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday.

Fame Ijeboi carried 31 times for 195 yards and three touchdowns. Purdue did not turn the ball over. Minnesota turned it over twice, converted 4 of 13 third downs and managed 10 first downs against Purdue's 27.

The result ends a three-game winning streak for the Gophers, who had beaten Michigan and Washington in their previous two games. Purdue has now won two straight after three consecutive losses.

How it was won

Purdue scored on its first possession, a 45-yard field goal from Jacobo Echeverria Lozano at 12:53 of the first quarter. Ryan Browne then found George Burhenn for a 15-yard touchdown at 2:26, making it 10-0.

Minnesota's first points came from Luke Drzewiecki, a 49-yard field goal at 10:48 of the second quarter. Echeverria Lozano answered with a 28-yarder, and Ijeboi scored from 3 yards with 1:55 left in the half. Purdue led 20-3 at the break.

Ijeboi added a 1-yard run at 9:33 of the third quarter for 27-3. Minnesota briefly made a game of it: Drzewiecki hit from 37 yards, and Drake Lindsey threw 42 yards to Jalen Smith for a touchdown at 3:11, cutting the deficit to 27-13.

Purdue closed it in the fourth. Browne ran 12 yards for a score at 13:17, and Ijeboi's third touchdown, another 1-yard run at 7:35, finished the scoring.

Browne was efficient in both phases, completing 14 of 24 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown and adding 81 rushing yards on seven carries. De'Nylon Morrissette caught two passes for 51 yards and Tra'Mar Harris two for 34. Purdue finished with 464 total yards.

Minnesota's offense ran almost entirely through Lindsey, who went 22 of 39 for 248 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Smith caught three passes for 89 yards and Javon Tracy five for 75. The running game never got started: Darius Taylor had 15 yards on seven carries and TJ Thomas 10 yards on five. Minnesota totaled 275 yards.

Against the number

Minnesota closed as a 2.5-point favorite, and Purdue covered by winning outright. Bettors who took the Boilermakers on the moneyline at +120 were paid; Minnesota closed at -142.

The total closed at 48.5. The teams combined for 54 points, so the over hit, with Purdue's 41 doing nearly all of the work. Full pricing history is on the game page.

The market read this as a near coin flip with a slight lean to the Gophers. The box score suggests the gap between these teams on Saturday was much wider, driven by Purdue's rushing advantage and a clean turnover sheet.

What's next

Purdue (3-3) returns to Ross-Ade on short rest, hosting Washington on Friday, October 16, on Fox. Washington lost 27-24 to Minnesota earlier this season, which gives one rough point of comparison.

Minnesota (4-2) has a week off before hosting No. 17 Iowa on Saturday, October 24. The Gophers will need answers against the run after giving up 305 yards here, and a ground game of their own after producing 27.