Boilermakers Crumble Against Dominant Badgers

© Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The Wisconsin Badgers (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) cruised to a 52-6 victory over the Purdue Boilermakers (1-4, 0-2) on Oct. 5 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis. The Badgers amassed 589 yards of total offense, including 15 explosive plays, securing their 18th straight win against Purdue.

Game Summary

Wisconsin jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter behind a 12-yard touchdown run by running back Tawee Walker and a 52-yard TD pass from quarterback Braedyn Locke to wide receiver Vinny Anthony II.

In the second quarter, Purdue failed to convert two interceptions thrown by Locke into TDs, settling for field goals to cut the lead to 14-6. Walker added his second TD with nine seconds left in the quarter, extending Wisconsin’s lead to 21-6 at halftime.

Wisconsin came out firing in the third quarter, outscoring Purdue 21-0 and outgaining them 256-34 in total yards. Wide receiver Trech Kekahuna showcased the explosiveness fans had anticipated after his bowl game performance against LSU last season, where he had four catches for 64 yards. Kekahuna hauled in two TD passes in the third quarter, one for 69 yards and another for 25. Walker added his third TD on a 17-yard run, sealing the rout to make it 42-6 after three quarters.

The fourth quarter allowed both teams to give their backups and younger players valuable experience. Badgers freshman running back Dilin Jones impressed, rushing for 65 yards on seven carries, including a 47-yard burst. Wisconsin added 10 more points in the fourth, with a 30-yard TD run by Cade Yacamelli and a 26-yard field goal by Nathanial Vakos.

Turning Point for Badgers

In the second quarter, with Purdue down 14-3, cornerback Kyndrich Breedlove intercepted Locke for the second time at the Boilermakers' 49-yard line. Purdue advanced to a first-and-goal at Wisconsin's 4-yard line but couldn’t convert for a TD, settling for a field goal to cut the lead to 14-6. Purdue wouldn’t score again, while the Badgers rattled off 38 more points.

What it Means

Wisconsin finally showed signs of life on offense, imposing their will over a weaker opponent. Explosive plays have been challenging for the Badgers' offense over the past season-and-a-half, but not against Purdue. Wisconsin recorded 15 explosive plays, with a surprising 10 coming through the air. Locke became the first Badgers quarterback to throw for 300-plus yards in a B1G game since Joel Stave in 2015. With winnable games ahead at Rutgers (4-0, 1-0) and Northwestern (2-2, 0-1), two victories would put coach Luke Fickell’s Badgers at 5-2 overall and 3-1 in conference play, setting up a promising matchup against Penn State (5-0, 2-0) at Camp Randall on Oct. 26.

© Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Despite firing offensive coordinator Graham Harrell before this game, Purdue’s offense continued to struggle, managing just six points and 216 total yards. The defense didn’t fare any better, allowing 8.1 yards per play and an embarrassing 17.2 yards per completion. With four of their next five games against ranked opponents, coach Ryan Walters’ team may easily be 1-9 if they can’t beat Northwestern at home on Nov. 2.