Few things are more fun than a road victory over a Power 5 football program. The weather wasn’t exactly pristine, and West Lafayette may not be the neatest city to visit; however, the Bearcats outplayed the Purdue Boilermakers on both sides of the ball.
Rather than discuss every conceivable statistic, in detail, about the game, I prefer to provide my takeaways from UC’s victorious conquest.
- Hayden Moore played very well. It rained on-and-off the entire game, yet he was able to sling the ball around the field, even in tight spaces. He also rushed for some hard-fought yardage when necessary, and didn’t require medical attention thereafter. In other words, UC got sturdy and reliable quarterback play out of Moore.
- The running game was incredibly helpful, especially on the road. Tion Green, Mike Boone, and company all played incredibly well. On the wet track, they didn’t cough up the ball and they got much-needed yards at critical junctures of the game.
- The secondary also played out of its mind. Mike Tyson had three interceptions (not a misprint). There is something to be said for having a nose for the ball. So far this season, it seems as though Coach Prunty has emphasized an opportunistic approach to the defense.
- The WR crew continues to show improvement. It would be unreasonable to anticipate that this year’s receivers would perform as well as last season’s players. Four of six players from last season are playing on Sundays this fall. Even so, Nate Cole, Devin Gray, Avery Johnson and company have impressed.
- I have nothing but excitement for this Thursday’s marquee matchup against the Houston Cougars. The Cougars might stroll into Nippert with a top-five ranking. Every player on this team chose to play at UC in the hopes of having big, national opportunities. Will they rise to the occasion? Will the nationally-televised ESPN stage intimidate them? Thus far, there is no reason to doubt this team’s resolve.
Okay, that’s enough about the actual game; let’s talk about the experience…
Purdue has some fun traditions, and the home crowd was relatively hospitable (except the Harambe jokes, which I anticipate will be a regular feature of away-game student sections).
The Bearcats faithful showed up in strong numbers despite the rain.
All in all, a great time was had by yours truly. The Bearcats picked up a great road win against a P5 program. And – now – UC has a great opportunity at home this Thursday.
By Brian Fox