Big Ten: Disappointing Purdue exposed in win

Purdue has hidden from its critics for too long this season. Thanks to the struggles of conference powerhouse schools, Ohio State and Michigan, the Boilermakers have hidden from the storm. But on a Saturday when Ohio State finally got its act together (well, almost) and Michigan was excused, the Boilermakers were finally exposed.

Joe Tiller’s club is the most disappointing team in America’s most disappointing conference. Their win over Central Michigan on Saturday – taking them to a 2-1 mark for the year – was bittersweet. It gave Tiller the school record for most career victories (85) and supplied the home crowd with an exciting finish. At the 1:18 mark in the fourth quarter, the Chippewas took a 25-24 lead. A long return combined with a facemask penalty gave Purdue good field position from where Kory Sheets rattled off a 46-yard game-winning run.

But the Boilermakers’ winning performance was flawed in a number of ways …

• Central Michigan out-gained Tiller’s supposedly high-octane offense, 440 to 344, and held the ball for three more minutes.

• Sheets’ run gave him 91 yards for the day. Take it away and Central Michigan held him to 45 yards on his other 16 carries – and it was by far his worst performance of his three games this season.

• Purdue couldn’t put away a Chippewa squad that lost the game more than Purdue won it. Central Michigan committed seven penalties to Purdue’s three, and the Chippewas were just three for 13 on third down. Yet Purdue allowed them to hang around for all four quarters.

And this wasn’t just a bad day for Tiller and his squad. Quarterback Curtis Painter has struggled to find his place all year, and Purdue had a similarly ‘disappointing win’ over Northern Colorado in the opener.

Purdue was pegged to be a mid-level Big Ten team by most, capable of challenging for a respectable bowl invite. As things stand now, despite its 2-1 record, Purdue is a bottom four Big Ten club who must hope it squeaks out enough conference wins to earn its way into a pre-Christmas bowl.

Scoreboard

Purdue 32, Central Michigan 25
Minnesota 37, Florida Atlantic 3
Pittsburgh 21, Iowa 20
Northwestern 16, Ohio 8
Penn State 45, Temple 3
Ohio State 28, Troy 10
Michigan State 23, Notre Dame 7
Ball State 42, Indiana 20

Team of the Week: Michigan State

We admit it – beating Notre Dame doesn’t mean what it used to. But a week after the Irish tarred and feathered the Wolverines, Michigan State gave Charlie Weis’ club a pounding for a second straight year. Notre Dame turned the ball over three times and had no answer for the Spartans’ one-man show, running back Javon Ringer.

Disappointment of the Week: Indiana

For much of the second half, Indiana was behind by only one score, 28-20. But Ball State closed the door in the final quarter with two short Miquale Lewis rushing scores. Hoosier quarterback Kellen Lewis tossed two interceptions, and the Hoosier run defense allowed 224 yards. Guess the vote is in on Indiana.

Player of the Week: Javon Ringer, RB, Michigan State

More of the same from Ringer: 201 yards and two touchdowns. Just how important is he to the Michigan State offense? On their final scoring drive, Ringer touched the ball on all seven plays of the 77-yard drive, which included an explosive 63-yard dash. It was another workman-like performance for the Spartans’ senior back — in four outings this year Ringer has averaged more than 35 carries per game.

Freshman of the Week: Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State

Todd Boeckman attempted just one pass against Troy, and Pryor became the first freshman to start for the Buckeyes since Art Schlichter suited up in Woody Hayes’ final season, 1978. Pryor threw four touchdowns and gained 66 yards on 14 carries. More importantly, he helped Buckeye Nation to regain its self-respect after last week’s embarrassing road loss to USC.

Forget about finding Joe Pa, Penn State fans should be concerned about hanging onto the ball

Perhaps too much was made about Joe Paterno’s decision to spend the second half up in the booth due to a sore leg. Paterno is 81, we all know this. What we didn’t know was how much work Penn State needs at this point of the year, even after its 45-3 blowout win of Temple. The offense threw one interception and gave up one fumble; it had another four fumbles that it was able to get back. And despite a 31-point second quarter, Penn State stalled in each of its first three drives against the Owls. With the rest of the conference crumbling Paterno’s crew has enough firepower to be the surprise hit of the 2008 season – if it cleans up the little details.

More turnovers … Northwestern has plenty to be thankful for

C.J. Bacher gifted Ohio with four interceptions on Saturday, and the Wildcats also coughed up the ball once. But Ohio failed to convert any of those five turnovers into points, allowing Northwestern to start 4-0 for the first time in almost 50 years.

Additional Notes

The Gophers must be pleased with freshman DeLeon Eskridge, who followed up last week’s three touchdown performance with a 78-yard, two-touchdown day against Florida Atlantic. Eskridge also made his first contribution to the passing game this week – six catches for 61 yards.

Penn State’s Aaron Maybin is making a name for himself in Big Ten country. On Saturday, the sophomore added two sacks to his season total, giving him six (no other conference player has more than 3.5 after four games).

The three touchdowns Iowa gave up to Pittsburgh were the first three touchdowns the defense has allowed all season.

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