MADISON, Wis. - Purdue coach Joe Tiller returned the pass to the Boilermakers' playbook in a big way Saturday.
"This is why I came to Purdue, to have the games in my hands and throw the ball 55, 60 times a game," junior quarterback Kyle Orton said after the Boilermakers beat Wisconsin 26-23.
After getting into the end zone on its first two possessions, Purdue settled for four field goals from Ben Jones, including an 18-yarder with three seconds left. Orton completed 38-of-55 for 411 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. Taylor Stubblefield and John Standeford combined for 30 receptions and 314 yards.
"It felt like a new offense," Stubblefield said. "We've been having success running the ball. Today it became the receivers' turn and we delivered."
Stubblefield had 16 catches for 130 yards and a score, and Standeford caught 14 for 184 yards.
Anthony Davis, who had missed three of the past four games with an injured ankle, carried 18 times for 96 yards and a 28-yard TD. But he fumbled at the Boilermakers 29 with 5:49 left and the Badgers trailing 23-16.
MICHIGAN ST. 44, MINNESOTA 38: After watching host Minnesota score to pull within a touchdown late in the second quarter, Michigan State coach John L. Smith approached his kick return unit on the sideline.
"I said, "What can you do with 43 seconds?' They said, "Coach, we can take it back.' "
Good call.
DeAndra Cobb's 100-yard kickoff return gave control back to Michigan State. Jeff Smoker led the Spartans with 252 yards passing and ran for a touchdown.
Jaren Hayes had two TD runs for the Spartans, who won their fifth straight and snapped a three-game losing streak to the Gophers. The Spartans are off to a 4-0 league start for the third time in school history. The previous times, Michigan State went on to win back-to-back conference titles (1965-66).
The Spartans appeared to seal it on Jason Teague's 60-yard TD run with 6:47 left. But Minnesota put together two late scoring drives. Jakari Wallace caught his first career TD pass on a 23-yarder with 4:47 left. And Aaron Hosack hauled in an 8-yard reception, his second TD of the day, for the final margin. Minnesota failed to recover an onside kick and the Spartans ran out the clock.
MICHIGAN 56, ILLINOIS 14: Chris Perry ran for three touchdowns and 140 yards and Steve Breaston returned a punt 74 yards for a TD for the host Wolverines. Michigan led 35-0 at halftime. Perry, who has run for 999 yards and scored 14 times this season, became the seventh Wolverine to surpass the 3,000-yard rushing mark.
Illinois, which has lost conference games by an average of 32 points, has dropped six in a row since beating I-AA Illinois State. Two years ago, the Illini won 10 games, the conference title and played in the Sugar Bowl.
