Gameday Grades: Offense Shows Life, but Falls Shorts of Comeback Try - Hammer and Rails

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Purdue tried their best. After trailing 24 points, in what sure seemed like another lock to be the next blowout of 2024, they found life. Ryan Walters and Ryan Browne were clicking all second half, but they came just short of their upset bid, with a 2-point conversion failing in overtime.

I loved the grit to comeback by this young Boilermaker Squad, led by Freshman Quarterback Ryan Browne, who may never lose the job now.

Offense: A-

The first half was not pretty... at all. Purdue was on track to another blowout loss, but the beautiful thing about football, is there are two halves to the game, adjustments can be made and sometimes those adjustments, work.

At half Browne had just 9 yards passing, in a run-heavy scheme that was accumulating first downs, one of the goals of the week.

Then, with Illinois crowding the box, the Boilers started throwing and never really looked back. Browne would finish the day 18 of 26 for 297 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 17 carries for 118 yards providing a 1-2 punch with Junior Devin Mockobee, who had 11 carries for 102, and a touchdown to go with his 31 yards receiving.

There were rumblings throughout the week that Walters may have been calling the offense at practice and that came into fruition on Saturday and in the 2nd half he seemed much more comfortable, leading the Boilers to almost a miracle comeback against the ranked Illini.

He bet on himself to call plays and it paid off, the offense looked totally different.

Defense: D-

The defense was stingy in the 3rd quarter, helping aid the comeback to start the second half. But allowing 50 points is still allowing 50 points, especially on a 1 play drive to start overtime, immediately after letting Illinois go the length of the field to tie the game.

It may be the first time in Purdue history that the defense has allowed 50 points in back to back games and there have been some terrible defenses in West Lafayette at many different times.

Altmyer nearly had 400 yards of passing and Illinois nearly ran for 200 yards on the ground to go with it.

Special Teams: A

Crimmins continues his spectacular year, only punting twice, but averaging 48.5 yards per punt, including a long of 58. Porath has proved viable as the long-term kicker, making all three of his extra points and both field goals he attempted.