Fame Ijeboi leads Purdue football to acing Minnesota's test

WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue football may have found its mojo.

A week after finally getting the monkey off its back, the Boilermakers dominated Minnesota from start to finish in a 41-13 victory Saturday night at Ross-Ade Stadium.

After its first Big Ten victory since November 2023 last week, Purdue now has consecutive conference wins for the first time since ending the 2022 regular season with three in a row.

The Boilermakers (3-3, 2-1 Big Ten) have bounced back from those three straight losses to a gauntlet that included one-loss Wake Forest and unbeaten Wake Forest and Notre Dame.

How did Purdue's performance stack up in the classroom? Pretty well.

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Running game pushes Purdue football past Minnesota

OFFENSE GRADE: A

There's that running game Purdue so desperately has been searching for. The offensive line made lanes and Fame Ijeboi showed off why the Boilermakers made him a priority when he entered the transfer portal. Ryan Browne also proved he's got some wheels. That duo combined for 276 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Browne threw for a season low 159 yards, not because Minnesota's vaunted defense shut down the passing game, but because Purdue ran the ball so efficiently.

Kevin Kane's defense comes through again

DEFENSE GRADE: A-

We're seeing why Barry Odom blocked out naysayers after four games and stuck to his guns that Kevin Kane was the man to run the defense. A week after holding Illinois to 17, the Boilermakers completely eliminated any threat of a Minnesota rushing game. The offense and defense played complementary football in a way it hasn't for the Boilers in years. The 42-yard touchdown pass from Drake Lindsey to Jalen Smith gave Minnesota life, but it's the only major thing to dock the defense for over four quarters.

Near-flawless from Purdue special teams

SPECIAL TEAMS GRADE: A-

Nitpicking here. Offsides on a kickoff and an 18-yard punt return given up. Other than that, special teams coordinator James Shibest and company continue to be Purdue's most consistent piece. Jacobo Echeverria Lozano was good from 45 and 28 yards. He's now 13 of 14 this season. Dylan Drennan's knuckleball punt caused Minnesota to muff it. John Slaughter recovered it and Ijeboi punched in the dagger touchdown after the turnover.

Purdue football coaching masterclass vs Minnesota

COACHING GRADE: A

Minnesota came in a confident 4-1 riding the emotions of a win over Michigan. And Purdue completely outclassed the Gophers. Odom deserves a ton of credit for sticking with Kane as defensive coordinator, which has now paid off in consecutive victories. Josh Henson's showed it doesn't have to use an aerial attack to move the ball. There was a lot of unselfish football being played and it resulted in a win that should re-energize a fan base that had all but given up on the Boilermakers before the calendar flipped to October.

Fame Ijeboi leads Purdue football past his former school

GAME MVP: Fame Ijeboi

Fame Ijeboi entered the transfer portal after serving as Minnesota's backup running back last season, seeking somewhere to play the leading role. Against his former team, he showed his star potential. Ijeboi finished with 31 carries for 195 yards and 3 touchdowns.

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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Fame Ijeboi leads Purdue football to acing Minnesota's test

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