Gophers' defense solid except on Boilermakers' two touchdown drives

Gophers linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin was proud of the way his teammates played for the most part in Saturday's 20-10 loss, but two drives defined the performance of the defense against Purdue.

P.J. Fleck's daunting defense basically held its opponent in check for the majority of the day and forced three turnovers.

But Boilermakers scoring drives to start and finish the game proved too much to overcome with the Gophers offense committing three turnovers in a demoralizing homecoming defeat at Huntington Bank Stadium.

"We didn't stop them enough to allow our offense to win the football game," Sori-Marin said. "We're not going to sit there and go back and forth. It's the team's fault."

The No. 21 Gophers led all FBS teams in total defense and ranked third in rush defense entering Saturday, giving up only 187.8 total yards and 61.8 rushing yards per game.

The Boilermakers finished with 359 total yards, including 160 yards rushing. But they scored their only two touchdowns and had 138 yards, including 113 yards on the ground on just the first and last drives combined.

"The biggest thing was missed tackles and the majority of them came on that first drive," Sori-Marin said. "We did a great job responding throughout the game and improving on that. And then that last drive, obviously. … we needed to get the ball back to our offense."

The Gophers trailed 13-10 with under four minutes left Saturday. But Purdue's Devin Mockobee quieted the crowd with a breakaway 68-yard run that set up his 2-yard touchdown run on the next play, ending any comeback hopes.

Mockobee, who finished with 11 carries for 112 yards and a touchdown, faced no resistance at the line of scrimmage on the play, but several open-field cuts sprung him free for the longest run allowed by the Gophers since a 71-yarder by an Ohio State player in the 2021 season opener.

Boilermakers wide receiver Charlie Jones, who leads the nation in receptions, finished with six catches but for only 55 yards and no touchdowns. Jones' biggest play was a 28-yard catch in the fourth quarter, but the Gophers held Purdue to a field goal on that drive.

Coming off a missed game last week with an injury, Purdue quarterback Aidan O'Connell got the start Saturday, but the U's secondary made him work hard for everything he got.

Safeties Tyler Nubin and Jordan Howden combined for nine tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble. Corner Justin Walley had six tackles while primarily defending Jones.

"I thought they were really aggressive," Fleck said. "I thought they did a really good job getting people on the ground. I thought they anticipated really well. … They kept us in the game on the back end."

In the first four games this season, the Gophers defense dominated to the tune of only three points allowed by the starting unit. No TDs given up when the game was on the line in wins against New Mexico State, Western Illinois, Colorado and Michigan State.

So imagine how shocked Gophers fans were when Purdue cruised down the field to open the game Saturday, stringing together a 10-play, 68-yard TD drive to take the early lead. That set the tone.

"In this program, the main thing we do is respond," Howden said, referring to the Gophers now going into their bye week. "We just have to start fast, [be steady] in the middle and finish strong."