Purdue football extra points: Key moments, questions after disappointing Iowa loss

WEST LAFAYETTE – Fewest points in the Jeff Brohm era.

Fewest points in a home game since 2013. No touchdowns for the first time since 2017 when Purdue kicked three field goals in a loss at Wisconsin during Brohm’s first season.

The offense was bad because Iowa’s defense dictated the terms. Aidan O’Connell committed two more turnovers. The secondary remains a problem and isn’t getting fixed.

“We got our butts kicked,” Brohm said.

If 24-3 is a butt kicking, then so be it.

Iowa’s defense was better than Wisconsin’s defense and both put a stranglehold on O’Connell and company. And Illinois – this week’s opponent – might be tougher for the Boilermakers to handle than those two.

As strange as it sounds, Purdue remains one of the top teams for the Big Ten West title.

On with the countdown:

5 PLAYERS WHO MATTERED

Kaleb Johnson: The freshman running back remains listed No. 3 on the depth chart. Don’t look for that to change but means nothing since Johnson has developed into the Hawkeyes’ top running threat. He reached 200 rushing yards on 22 carries, including the game-clinching 75-yard touchdown run on the second play of the third quarter. Purdue wasn’t coming back, even without the long TD run but that sealed the win and Iowa leaned on the running game the final 30 minutes to get out of West Lafayette with a much-needed victory. Johnson’s previous high-water mark was 103 yards against Nevada. He nearly doubled his total, and he did it behind a young and maligned offensive line, which controlled things throughout most of Saturday.

Humbling lossPurdue's offense bottoms out, just like its mascot

Spencer Petras: Another maligned position. The veteran quarterback tossed four interceptions in last year’s loss to the Boilermakers but delivered big plays in the second quarter to set the tone for the Hawkeyes. He finished 13 of 23 for 192 yards and two touchdowns and could’ve had more production if Iowa hadn’t backed off throwing the ball. Petras watched the film and saw the Hawkeyes could attack Purdue’s secondary with tight end Sam LaPorta, who caught the first touchdown of the day. Despite getting sacked three times, Petras was comfortable in the pocket because of the running game and the lack of resistance in the secondary.

Charlie Jones: The pregame storyline was all about Jones and Tyrone Tracy facing their former Iowa teammates after transferring in the offseason. Jones delivered with 11 catches for 104 yards, but O’Connell targeted his childhood friend 19 times while everyone else was targeted a combined 22 times. Jones is clearly Purdue’s No. 1 receiver, but the offense needs some balance in the passing game. He’s going to catch his share of passes and he’s got at least three games to add to his already impressive total.

Tory Taylor: He’s Iowa’s punter and would be the MVP of the game if not for Johnson. He had three punts of more than 60 yards, including a 70-yarder with the wind. This guy has a serious leg, even with the wind behind him. He dropped one inside the 5-yard line and another one inside the 20, creating an uphill climb for the Boilermakers.

Sam LaPorta: The talented tight end caught three passes on the day, all on the same drive. On Iowa’s third possession, LaPorta hauled in receptions for 41, 14 and finally a 16-yard TD grab for the game’s first touchdown. The 14-yard catch came on third-and-8 from the 30-yard line on the Hawkeyes’ first play of the second quarter going against the win. He was open against the secondary on the 16-yard TD. He’s enjoyed better performances but this one got Iowa off and running in the second quarter.

4 KEY PLAYS

Petras to LaPorte for 41 yards: This came late in the first quarter after the Hawkeyes were backed up on the 9-yard line following a Jack Ansell punt. It’s second-and-7 and LaPorta’s catch and run moved Iowa into Purdue territory.  As mentioned above, LaPorta did all of his damage on the same drive.

O’Connell’s first interception: Two plays after Iowa’s first TD, Kaevon Merriweather picks off O’Connell. Three plays later, the Hawkeyes reach the endzone for the second time in 90 seconds. The double-digit lead seemed insurmountable.

O’Connell’s second interception: The Boilermakers were starting to show some life but as the offense approached the red zone, O’Connell is picked off again, this time by Seth Benson. The Hawkeyes converted this takeaway into three points and a 17-0 lead.

Johnson’s 75-yard TD run: The second play of the third quarter. Game over.

3 NUMBERS

12.5%: Third-down conversion rate for the Boilermakers, who were 2 of 16 and missed on 11 straight chances.

14: Streak of consecutive games of scoring at least 20 points snapped.

33: Years since Purdue didn’t score a touchdown against the Hawkeyes.

2 QUESTIONS

▶ Will Jeff Brohm ever trust his running game?

▶ How does O’Connell get back on track?

1 FINAL THOUGHT

As bad as Saturday’s performance was – and it was bad – the Boilermakers remain a contender for the Big Ten West title, despite a two-game losing streak. Purdue no longer controls its path to the conference championship game, needing a win at Illinois and losses by Wisconsin and Iowa to reach Indianapolis. The Badgers and the Hawkeyes play this week, a defacto elimination game. While the path remains open, are the Boilermakers capable of putting together a flawless game against the Illini and finishing the season off with wins over Northwestern and Indiana? The secondary remains a problem and there are no solutions coming, other than just playing better, which hasn’t happened in the last three games. O’Connell is a turnover machine with five interceptions in the last two games and now you start to question whether he's healthy. He took some hard hits Saturday. Maybe since the Iowa game is over, O’Connell and the offense can spread the ball around and incorporate other receivers more often instead of locking in on Jones. The run defense was gashed by a freshman and now faces the league’s top rusher in Chase Brown, who had over 1,200 yards before Saturday. We’ve seen Purdue string together victories with a four-game winning streak before hitting the skids against Wisconsin and Iowa. Can the Boilermakers recapture what they did in October and translate it into the most important month of the season?

Mike Carmin covers Purdue sports for the Journal & Courier and USA Today Sports Network. Email mcarmin@gannett.com and follow on Twitter and Instagram @carmin_jc

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Iowa at Purdue football: Who won the Iowa-Purdue football game