Purdue’s TJ Sheffield caught a 24-yard touchdown pass against the Gophers’ Darius Green in the first quarter of the Boilermakers’ 49-30 victory at West Lafayette, Ind., on Saturday. (Michael Conroy, Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

1. Avalanche of big plays doom Gophers defense

Purdue served notice on its first possession that Saturday would be a long day for the Gophers defense. Tyrone Tracy Jr. gained 9 yards on the first play, setting the tone for a rushing attack that gained 353 yards on 44 carries. Hudson Card and the Boilermakers' passing attack was strong, too, with 251 yards, giving Purdue 604 yards of offense. The Boilermakers finished with 11 rushing plays that gained 10 yards or longer and five pass plays that gained 15 yards or longer, including three for touchdowns.

2. Kaliakmanis had a productive day

While his second-half accuracy — 7-for-20 — needs to improve, Gophers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis had his second consecutive game with three touchdown passes. Kaliakmanis started strong, completing five of his first eight passes and going 11-for-22 for 204 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. He would add a TD pass in the second half and did not throw an interception. He's the first Gophers QB since Asad Abdul-Khaliq in 2003 to have two consecutive games of three TD passes and no interceptions.

3. Jackson's consistency comes through

Gophers wide receiver Daniel Jackson continues to put together a standout season. He caught seven passes for 119 yards Saturday, surpassing 100 yards receiving for the third time in four games. For the season, the fourth-year junior has 45 catches for 681 yards and seven touchdowns. His 68.1 receiving yards per game ranks third in the Big Ten and his TD total is tied for third.

4. Old guys produce, too

Tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford, a sixth-year senior, and wide receiver Chris Autman-Bell, a seventh-year senior, had their most productive games of the season. Spann-Ford was targeted 13 times and caught five passes for a season-high 59 yards, including a 20-yard TD grab that gave the Gophers an early 7-0 lead. Autman-Bell, limited all season because of knee surgery last year, caught two passes for 66 yards, including a spectacular 27-yard touchdown reception late in the second quarter. He also dropped a couple of passes. Autman-Bell surpassed 2,000 career receiving yards on his first-drive TD catch and now has 2,051

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5. Huge challenge awaits at Ohio State

The Gophers have lost two consecutive games, falling to 5-5 and dropping into a five-way tie for second — or next-to-last, if you prefer — at 3-4 in the Big Ten's West Division. They need one more win to gain bowl eligibility, but the chances of that happening Saturday are slim because they travel to Ohio State, the No. 1 team in the College Football Playoff rankings. Minnesota's postseason chances likely come down to the Nov. 25 matchup against Wisconsin at Huntington Bank Stadium.