Purdue 31 @ Minnesota 34: Moore Returns, Defense Still Off
By: Dakota Isgrigg | November 22nd | @dakota_isgrigg | @BoilerInTexas
I could go on-and-on about the excitement surrounding Friday night. It was announced that Rondale Moore would finally make his return to the field for the first time since the Minnesota game last year. This sent fans into a fervor on Twitter at the thought and the game wouldn’t arrive any quicker. All-in-all, it was a relatively exciting game with ups and downs, but it was all overshadowed by the worst call anyone has ever seen in football.
Ignoring the fact that Durham was doing the same thing as any other receiver in this moment, the fact that the ref thought that was enough to warrant a flag is beyond me. And even writing this is getting me riled up about it again so I will just trust that everyone in the college football world including you know this is the worst call in decades.
I’ll leave it at that.
This was such a “Friday Night in the Big Ten” game with missed field goals, multiple overturned touchdowns (on Purdue at minimum), and even more questionable coaching on both sides of the field. This was the first appearance of Jack Plummer at QB after AOC didn’t make the trip due to an undisclosed reason. Plummer played well finishing 35-42 for 367 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also was recorded with an interception, but I will refuse to acknowledge it as it came after the worst OPI call in CFB history. It looked like Plummer hasn’t missed a beat since last year before his injury.
After finally getting to see Rondale Moore and David Bell on the field together again we got the stat line we all expected, combined they finished with 23 receptions, 220 yards and 2 touchdowns (should have been 3). If this is what Big Ten defenses have to face from here to the end of the season, good luck.
The defense struggled again in this one, allowing multiple long third-down conversions as well as a fourth down conversion as well. This defense still has a long way to go and I’m hoping that Bob Diaco is able to get the ship back on track, or at least in the direction of the right way soon. This is a fairly one-dimensional offense in the Gophers who lean on the run with Mohamed Ibrahim. Chris Autman-Bell gives Minnesota QB Tanner Morgan a downfield threat, but they still lean on the run more than not. Diaco is going to need to figure out how to get this defense off the field on third down more often.
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I’m officially riled up again and there isn’t much more I can say about this game without reverting back to the OPI call that lost Purdue the game. The Big Ten should release a statement about this call, but even if they do, it won’t mean a thing.
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On to Rutgers.
