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RECAP
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) -- Instead of Drew Brees' passing, it was
Purdue's defense and special teams that put an end to Indiana.
Vinny Sutherland returned a punt 66 yards for the go-ahead
touchdown and the Boilermakers (No. 25 ESPN/USA Today, No. 19 AP) twice stopped the Hoosiers on downs in the fourth quarter Saturday for a 30-24 victory.
|  | | Purdue wide receiver Chris Daniels hoists the Old Oaken Bucket after the Boilermakers defeated Indiana. |
"The defense did a great job," Brees said. "I felt bad for
them because they were on the field most of the game. I thought IU
did a good job offensively, sustaining drives, and really kind of
trying to wear out our defense.
"It's tough when the defense has to be out there for a 90-yard
drive that takes up six, seven minutes, and then our offense would
come onto the field and we'd go three-and-out," he said. "You
have to hand it to them. They really sucked it up there on those
last drives."
Brees, who passed for four touchdowns in a 52-7 victory last
year, had a modest 197 yards and moved past Scott Campbell into
second place in Purdue career passing, behind Mark Herrmann, with
7,746 yards.
Indiana's Antwaan Randle El ran for one touchdown and passed for 329 yards and another TD, finishing the season with an
Indiana-record 3,065 yards total offense.
Indiana (4-7, 3-5 Big Ten) led 24-23 starting the fourth
quarter. But Sutherland took a punt by Drew Hagan and ran back for
his second TD return of the season to give the Boilermakers (7-4,
4-4) the lead.
"They didn't get down there and I saw a lot of field in front
of me and I was just able to get the ball vertical right away,"
Sutherland said. "This was a big game for me, but it was a team
effort and I was just happy to make a play."
A 33-yard pass to Jerry Dorsey took Indiana to the Purdue 12 on
the next series. Three plays later, the Hoosiers were at the 3, but
Levron Williams was tackled for a 2-yard loss on fourth down to end
Indiana's first threat.
"That play, I feel like I should have got us something
different," Randle El said of the option pitch to Williams. "As
the play developed, I should have kind of kept the ball a little
bit."
Indiana started its final drive after a Purdue punt with under
five minutes remaining. Randle El completed passes of 21 and 20
yards to Williams and 9 yards to Dorsey, taking the Hoosiers to the
Purdue 19. But Randle El then slipped for a 2-yard loss, threw an
incomplete pass and was sacked by Matt Mitrione as he tried to get
to the sideline.
"Somebody dropped back and I just had to get out of there
because they brought the corner off the back side," Randle El
said. "I tried to buy the little I had before I attempted to
run."
The Boilermakers then ran out the final 1:14 for the victory in
the annual Old Oaken Bucket game.
Brees passed 26 yards to Tim Stratton to set up a 41-yard,
third-quarter field goal by Travis Dorsch that broke a 17-17
halftime tie. After a 7-yard touchdown run by De'Wayne Hogan put
the Hoosiers back on top, Dorsch kicked a 19-yard field goal to cut
the Indiana lead to 24-23 at the end of the third period.
"It's the way all great rivalry games should go," Purdue coach
Joe Tiller said. "Either team had a chance to win it. Both teams
could lament over the missed opportunities. We're just glad that we
got out of here with a W."
The victory all but clinched a third straight bowl bid for the
Boilermakers.
"I think this is significant because the expectation level has
changed for us," Tiller said. "We ourselves expect a lot from our
football team. ... I feel good going into a bowl game with seven
wins."
Randle El had 201 yards passing in the first half, including 134
on the Hoosiers' first two possessions. A 36-yard touchdown pass to
Derin Graham gave Indiana a 7-0 lead, then late in the first period
a 41-yard pass to fullback Jeremi Johnson set up a 1-yard TD run by
Randle El.
"We played well enough to win," Indiana coach Cam Cameron
said. "There is nobody in there pointing fingers. We are just
obviously disappointed."
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Purdue Clubhouse
Indiana Clubhouse
College football Top 25 overview
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Vinny Sutherland takes the punt return 66-yards for the touchdown.
avi: 1125 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Derin Graham takes the Antwaan Randle El pass in 36-yards for the touchdown.
avi: 812 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Purdue fumbles in the red zone but Chukky Okobi is there to cover up for the TD.
avi: 571 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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