Purdue Football: 3 takeaways from blowout loss vs. Illinois

By Dante Pryor | Oct 26, 2019

WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA - OCTOBER 26: Jack Plummer #13 of the Purdue Boilermakers fumbles the ball after the hit in the second half from Dele Harding #9 of the Illinois Fighting Illini at Ross-Ade Stadium on October 26, 2019 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /

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Purdue football hosted the Illinois Fighting Illini at Ross Ade Stadium for a noon kick. Here are three takeaways from the game.

It was a soggy one at Ross Ade. There was so much rain, the goal markers were floating away in the rain. In a wet game you need a running game; unfortunately for the Boilermakers they have the second fewest rushing yards in the country. The Illini, on the other hand, has some guys who can run.

Illinois had a simple offensive game plan; run the ball and be physical. The Illini ran the ball 53 times for over 200 yards in this game and they threw it six times. Defensively, they suffocated the Purdue offense. The Boilermakers aren’t known for their prowess as a running team, and Illinois did a good job of pressuring both Purdue quarterbacks all game long.

Purdue came into this game hobbled by nine key players out due to injury. They were short-handed coming into this season due to youth and lack of talent depth. All of that caught up with them in this game. They couldn’t do anything offensively, they couldn’t move the Illini offensive line, and couldn’t block the defensive line. It wasn’t for a lack of trying, but the Boilermakers were undermanned and it showed.

Here are three more takeaways from today’s game:

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