Heavy underdog Purdue football battles, can't overcome Michigan at Big House
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ANN ARBOR, Michigan — A valiant effort as 21-point underdogs wasn't enough for Purdue football.
No. 21 Michigan fended off the pesky Boilermakers, who've now lost 15 consecutive Big Ten games after falling 21-16 under the lights at Michigan Stadium on Saturday night.
The seventh loss in a row overall for Purdue didn't come without a battle.
The Wolverines couldn't put Purdue away until the final minutes.
Following a 9-play, 50-yard touchdown drive for Purdue to get within one score, Michigan was able to run the final six minutes off and escape.
Devin Mockobee sidelined for Purdue football
The Boilermakers were without leading rusher Devin Mockobee.
In his absence, the continued emergence of Malachi Thomas and Antonio Harris sparked the offense.
The backfield duo accounted for both Purdue touchdowns, with Harris' 2-yard TD run capping a 16-play, 75-yard drive that took 9:30 off the clock and tied the game 7-7.
Thomas caught a 5-yard TD pass from Ryan Browne with six minutes remaining, cutting Michigan's lead to 21-16. Harris and Thomas combined for 122 rushing yards.
Purdue football gets defensive in red zone
Hudauri Hines picked off Bryce Underwood and CJ Nunnally punched a ball from the hands of the Michigan freshman quarterback that rolled into the end zone for a touchback.
For a Purdue defense that struggled to create takeaways most of the season, those two plays gave the Boilermakers a shot in the arm and gave Purdue a fighting chance as three-touchdown underdogs.
Spencer Porath ends six-year Purdue drought
When sophomore kicker Spencer Porath split the uprights from 50 yards with nine minutes to go in the third quarter, it marked the first time a Boilermaker made a field goal of 50 or more yards since 2019.
J.D. Dellinger kicked a 53-yard field goal against TCU on Sept. 14, 2019.
Porath's boot is the 21st field goal of at least 50 yards in Purdue history. Porath is the 10th different kicker to make a 50-yarder for Purdue.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue football falls at Michigan
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