Lafayette Online » Joe Tiller

Purdue win snaps Michigan bowl streak

admin — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 21:02:44 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Purdue’s Justin Siller and Greg Orton tossed out Michigan’s generations-long streaks of success.

Kory Sheets picks up yardage after getting by Michigan's Stevie Brown during the first half. (AP Photo/Tom Strattman)

Siller passed for three touchdowns and ran for another in his first career start, and Orton lateraled to Desmond Tardy after a catch for the final score with 26 left in the Boilermakers’ 48-42 victory over slumping Michigan on Saturday.

The win by Purdue (3-6, 1-4 Big Ten) snapped a five-game losing streak and assured Michigan (2-7, 1-4) of its first losing season since 1967, ending any possibility the Wolverines had to extend their streak of 33 straight bowl appearances.

Michigan, which has lost five in a row, tied the game at 42 with 1:20 to go on the third touchdown run by Brandon Minor.

But Siller, starting in place of injured Curtis Painter, quickly passed 18 yards to Keith Smith and 20 yards to Tardy, taking Purdue to the Michigan 35. After a 3-yard run by Siller, he passed 4 yards to Orton, who flipped the ball to Tardy for the go-ahead score.

Michigan’s desperation heave into the end zone with no time remaining fell harmlessly to the turf, sending the Wolverines to a school-record seventh loss.

Orton also had a touchdown reception. Kory Sheets, who rushed for three touchdowns, had the third TD catch from Siller, who finished 21-of-34 for 266 yards passing.

Sheets rushed for 118 yards, and his four touchdowns tied his career high with the Boilermakers, who kept alive their hopes for a possible 11th bowl bid in retiring coach Joe Tiller’s 12 seasons. It also marked the most points by Purdue and the most combined points in the 54-game series with Michigan.

Siller, a third-stringer until backup Joey Elliott had a season-ending shoulder separation two weeks ago and Painter went down with a similar injury last week, twice rallied the Boilermakers from 14-point deficits. Sheets’ second touchdown run, a 3-yarder late in the second quarter, pulled Purdue within 28-21 at halftime, then a 35-yard pass to Orton set up Siller’s 7-yard pass to Sheets that tied the game at 28 early in the third quarter.

The game was tied again at 35 after a 5-yard run by Sheets late in the third quarter and a 12-yard run by Minor early in the fourth quarter. Midway through the period, Purdue linebacker Anthony Heygood took the snap on a fake punt and ran 61 yards to the Michigan 7, and three plays later Siller hit Orton from 4 yards out for a 42-35 lead.

Minor’s third TD run from 1 yard out tied the game for the final time.

Michigan also got two touchdown passes from Steven Threet and a 73-yard punt return for freshman Martavious Odoms’ first career TD.

Sheets’ 46-yard TD run secures 32-25 win over Central Michigan

admin — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 02:41:52 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Kory Sheets broke loose for a 46-yard touchdown run with a minute left in the game to lift Purdue to a 32-25 victory over Central Michigan on Saturday.

Central Michigan (2-2) appeared set to pull off an upset after taking a 25-24 lead with 1:18 to go on a 6-yard touchdown pass by Dan LeFevour followed by a 2-point conversion pass to Antonio Brown.

Joe Tiller, with wife Arnette, receives the game ball from co-captain Ryan Baker following Tiller's record-breaking 85th Purdue win Saturday.

But the Boilermakers (2-1) got a 39-yard kickoff return from Desmond Tardy and the Chippewas were hit with a 15-yard facemask penalty. On first down, Sheets took a handoff from Curtis Painter, made a cut that faked out several defenders and raced into the end zone. Painter followed with a 2-point conversion pass to Greg Orton.

Purdue’s Dwight Mclean intercepted a pass by LeFevour with 27.7 seconds left to clinch the win for Purdue against a pesky Mid-American Conference opponent.

After LeFevour’s 6-yard TD pass to Ontario Sneed brought Central Michigan within a point at 24-23, Chippewas coach Butch Jones opted to go for two points. The 2-point pass completion to Brown was reviewed before officials ruled it a catch, rather than a trap.

Sheets’ game-winning TD gave him the school record for career touchdowns. His total of 43 surpassed Mike Alstott, who scored 42 from 1992-1995. Sheets finished with 91 yards on 17 carries.

The win also gave Purdue coach Joe Tiller the school record for career wins. His 85 victories tops the previous mark of 84 set by Jack Mollenkopf from 1956-1969.

It was the third meeting between the teams in 13 months. Purdue won 45-22 last September, then won again 51-48 in the Motor City Bowl.

Painter, who threw for a school record 546 yards in the Motor City Bowl win, passed for 261 yards and a touchdown Saturday. LeFevour passed for 291 yards and two touchdowns and ran 24 times for 112 yards and another score.

With the score tied at 10 in the third quarter, Purdue’s Mike Neal hit LeFevour as he threw and forced the ball to pop into the air. Frank Duong intercepted the wobbly pass and raced 58 yards for a touchdown to give the Boilermakers a 17-10 lead.

LeFevour scored on a 13-yard run early in the fourth quarter to tie the score at 17.

Painter came up big on Purdue’s next possession. On a third-and-10, he found Aaron Valentin on a slant pattern, and he broke away for a 57-yard gain. Painter found Tardy for a 2-yard touchdown with 7:34 left, and the Boilermakers took a 24-17 lead.

Purdue could have put the ball away, but on a third-and-1 at the Purdue 49, Painter fumbled the snap, recovered and tried to drive for the first down. Central Michigan’s LaVarus Williams stripped Painter, and Sean Murnane recovered to give the Chippewas another chance. That led to Sneed’s touchdown.

Boilermakers Open Season with 42-10 win; Tiller ties Mollenkopf as winningest coach

admin — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 22:27:07 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Curtis Painter passed for 286 yards and two touchdowns, and Purdue defeated Northern Colorado 42-10 on Saturday.

Desmond Tardy caught three passes for 112 yards and Kory Sheets ran for 81 yards and two touchdowns for Purdue (1-0).

Kory Sheets ran for 81 yards in the Purdue season opener against Northern Colorado.

Purdue coach Joe Tiller tied Jack Mollenkopf for the most wins in school history with 84. He also beat one of his former assistants – Northern Colorado coach Scott Downing worked under Tiller for 12 years at Wyoming and Purdue.

Bryan Waggener passed for 216 yards and a touchdown and Ryan Chesla caught nine passes for 99 yards for Northern Colorado (0-1), a Football Championship Subdivision team that went 1-11 last season.

Purdue’s first score came on Painter’s 26-yard strike down the middle to slot receiver Keith Smith.

In the second quarter, Purdue’s Frank Halliburton tipped a Northern Colorado punt, and the Boilermakers took over on the Northern Colorado 37. Two plays later, Sheets’ 9-yard touchdown run gave Purdue a 14-0 lead.

On the Boilermakers’ next possession, Tardy took a screen pass 60 yards, but Purdue was unable to score from inside the 20. Purdue moved into Northern Colorado territory six times in the first half, but led 14-0 at halftime.

Early in the third quarter, Northern Colorado went for it on fourth-and-5 from the Purdue 30, but Ryan Baker sacked Waggener and the Boilermakers took over.

Halliburton got pressure on another Bears punt after a poor snap, and Purdue took over at the Northern Colorado 34 with about 6 minutes left in the third quarter. Sheets scored again, a 2-yard run that gave Purdue a 21-0 lead with 2:32 left in the third quarter.

Northern Colorado caught a break early in the fourth quarter. The Bears punted to Purdue, and the ball bounced off a Boilermaker player’s leg before Northern Colorado’s C.J. Stemo recovered at the Purdue 25. Michael York made a 37-yard field goal.

On Purdue’s next possession, Painter found Greg Orton down the left sideline for a 43-yard touchdown pass that gave the Boilermakers a 28-3 lead.

Minutes later, Halliburton blocked another punt, and Mike Conway’s recovery and runback for a touchdown made it 35-3.

Northern Colorado scored a TD on Waggener’s 3-yard pass to Jason Caprioli with 7:08 to play.

Lafayette Online » Joe Tiller

Purdue win snaps Michigan bowl streak

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