Points After: Purdue’s loss at Ohio State

There were no surprises Saturday in Columbus, as national title-hopeful Ohio State extended Purdue’s misery, handling the Boilermakers, 45-0.

It was Purdue’s eighth consecutive loss.

The Buckeyes didn’t need the help, but got plenty, as Purdue turned the ball over twice, one being a fumble returned for a touchdown, and had a punt blocked deep in its own territory, setting another touchdown. Purdue also missed a 21-yard field goal and threw an interception in the end zone.

QB Hudson Card was just 9-of-19 for 103 yards and an interception and was sacked three times, as Purdue had no answers all afternoon for Ohio State’s pressure when it applied it.

PDF: Purdue-Ohio State box score

A few quick takeaways …

• It was the special teams that pushed Purdue onto the slippery slope in the first quarter, as the blocked punt and Spencer Porath‘s 21-yard miss accounted for a 10-point swing that set the blowout in motion. Again, Ohio State didn’t need the help. Purdue has been overmatched all season on offense and defense. Purdue later missed a 38-yarder. The special teams blowing up in Columbus completed the trifecta.

• Purdue’s offensive numbers weren’t good, but were also largely a product of Ohio State conceding yardage in the running game, playing three-man fronts and leaving the middle of the field relatively open. How much of it was just about keeping the clock moving.

At the same time, Purdue did take what Ohio State was giving, but didn’t seem all that compelled to string this game out.

• Among its litany of issues, Purdue’s red zone problems offensively continue, and every fourth-down decision Ryan Walters makes ends up being wrong. That’s an indictment of the options at his disposal more than anything.

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