Boilermakers Downed By No. 18 Michigan State 21-7

Carolyn Shelby — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 01:31:44 +0000

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Javon Ringer scored two touchdowns and No. 18 Michigan State used a dominating defense Saturday to stay alive in the Big Ten title chase with a 21-7 victory over Purdue.

The Spartans (9-2, 6-1 Big Ten), who are off next week, will rest up for a Nov. 22 showdown at No. 3 Penn State, with at least a share of the conference title on the line.

Purdue's Justin Siller scored a rushing touchdown Saturday against Michigan St.

The Spartans last won a share of the Big Ten crown in 1990.

Purdue (3-7, 1-5) was officially eliminated from bowl contention in coach Joe Tiller’s final season.

Ringer, one of 16 Spartans playing their final home game Saturday, had 121 yards on 32 carries. He entered the game ranked second in the nation at 142.7 yards per game. He is the second-leading career rusher in Michigan State history, trailing only Lorenzo White.

Ringer gave Michigan State a 7-0 lead with a fourth-down, 1-yard touchdown run on the Spartans’ opening possession. His 1-yard TD run early in the second half gave Michigan State a 21-0 lead.

With just 9 seconds left in the first half, Michigan State defensive back Johnny Adams stepped in front of a Justin Siller pass and returned the interception 40 yards to give the Spartans a 14-0 halftime lead.

Purdue, hampered by turnovers all season, never recovered.

Siller started his second consecutive game in place of injured senior Curtis Painter. Siller was shaken up in the middle of the third quarter and replaced by Chris Bennett, but returned to the lineup later in the quarter.

Painter hurt his throwing shoulder Oct. 25 against Minnesota.

The Boilermakers couldn’t generate much offense, particularly when it mattered most.

Purdue avoided a shutout by scoring with less than 1 minute to play on Siller’s 1-yard touchdown run.

Purdue generated only 191 yards of total offense. Siller was 13-of-30 for 83 yards. Kory Sheets had 93 rushing yards on 22 carries.

Michigan State had 300 yards of offense. Quarterback Brian Hoyer was 10-of-22 for 154 yards with two interceptions.

Michigan State gave the Boilermakers chances to stay in the game by missing out on several scoring opportunities, particularly in the first half.

Late in the second quarter, an illegal procedure penalty left kicker Brett Swenson with a 44-yard field goal attempt into a howling November wind. The kick was on target but fell short in a powerful gust.

One Spartans drive ended with an Ashton Leggett fumble inside the Purdue 25. Another ended when Purdue’s Torri Williams intercepted a Brian Hoyer pass at the Purdue 27.

Another second quarter drive ended when Ringer was stopped on a 4th-and-1 run at the Purdue 10.

But the Boilermakers couldn’t capitalize.

The Boilermakers have a 19-game winless streak against teams ranked in the Top 25.

Purdue had won seven of the last nine meetings in the series, including two straight in East Lansing, before Saturday’s loss.

Purdue Spring Football: Gold rolls over Black, 28-14

Carolyn Shelby — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 15:57:54 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Led by two touchdowns apiece from quarterbacks Joey Elliott and Justin Siller, with the latter’s coming in the fourth quarter, the Gold team held on to defeat the Black team 28-14 in Saturday’s Black & Gold Game at Ross-Ade Stadium.

Dan Dierking’s 12-yard touchdown reception capped the Gold team’s 28-14 victory in Saturday’s Black & Gold game.

The game featured the first-string offense and the second-string defense (Black team) vs. the second-string offense and the first-string defense (Gold team).

“I thought we had a competitive game, which was our goal,” head coach Joe Tiller said. “Your No. 2 offense always is going to have the upper hand on your No. 2 defense because of the multiplicity of formations that you run.

“I didn’t like the way the No. 1 offense started, but I liked the way they came on after their slow start.”

After falling behind 14-0 on a 4-yard touchdown reception by Jeff Panfil in the second quarter, the Black team recovered late in the quarter with two quick touchdowns. The first came on a Jaycen Taylor 35-yard touchdown run with 4:49 left to go in the half. On the Gold team’s next possession, Siller was intercepted by Mike Conway, who then returned it 29 yards to the end zone to tie the score before the half.

The third quarter went scoreless, but the fourth quarter saw the Gold team dominate from the start. Jared Crank scored on a 3-yard reception from Siller 25 seconds into the final frame and Dan Dierking scored on a 12-yard reception from Siller with a little more than two minutes remaining in the contest.

Elliott had the best day passing after splitting time on both teams during the game, completing 21 of his 27 passing attempts for 195 yards and two touchdowns. Curtis Painter finished the day 11 of 19 for 102 yards and Siller went 8 of 14 for 60 yards and two touchdown tosses.

Dierking led all rushers with 88 yards on 16 carries. Teammate Jared Crank had 52 yards on 10 totes and Taylor had 47 yards on six carries and a touchdown.

The leading receivers were tight ends with the Gold team’s Colton McKey catching five balls for 37 yards and a touchdown while the Black team was led by Jerry Wasikowski with five catches for 52 yards.

The only sack of the game came from Ryan Kerrigan of the Gold team. Tyler Haston also had an interception for the Gold team.

Despite missing many key players due to injury, Tiller said he likes the makeup of his team and looks forward to his final campaign on the Purdue sidelines in 2008.

“I will like this team in the fall when we get all our injured guys back,” the 12th-year grid boss said. “We had a good spring. Because of the injuries – the most I think I have had in all my years of coaching – a lot of younger players got a lot of reps they otherwise wouldn’t have gotten. That may prove to be a blessing in the long run.”

The Boilermakers will open the 2008 season against Northern Colorado on Sept. 6 at Ross-Ade.

Lafayette Online » Football

Boilermakers Downed By No. 18 Michigan State 21-7

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Purdue Spring Football: Gold rolls over Black, 28-14

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