Spring Break
Not Quite There
Dan Murphy
Issue date: 10/1/07 Section: Irish Insider
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Notre Dame scored three second-half touchdowns, but the Irish fell to a program-worst 0-5 and Purdue held on for a 33-19 victory Saturday at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind.
Purdue senior quarterback Curtis Painter completed 22-of-37 passes for 252 yards with two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Purdue established its passing game after senior Kory Sheets ran all over the Irish in the first quarter. Sheets finished the game with 141 yards on 27 carries, but he was most effective in the first and fourth quarters.
Purdue became the seventh straight team to score at least 30 points against Notre Dame, but the Irish threatened late for the first time this season.
Junior quarterback Evan Sharpley threw his first two touchdown passes in a rally that saw Notre Dame pull within a touchdown with seven minutes remaining after falling behind 23-0 in the first half.
"We started feeding off each other a little bit the line was blocking well and receivers were making plays," Sharpley said. "It was exciting to be on the field."
Sharpley took over at quarterback in the middle of the third quarter when freshman Jimmy Clausen left the game for good with a hip injury. Clausen picked up his first collegiate passing touchdown on his last complete drive of the game.
The freshman rolled out of the pocket on fourth-and-goal and found fifth-year tight end John Carlson, who made a diving catch to put the Irish on the board.
"Jimmy threw me a ball that I could catch and I went and caught it," Carlson said. "It really isn't anything more than that."
Notre Dame's offensive line began to solidify for the first time this season. It allowed 27 sacks in the team's first four games but only two Saturday.
"We came in at halftime and coach really challenged us to step up," sophomore left tackle Sam Young said. "Now it's just maintaining it, getting that consistency factor, we have to put the first and the second half together."
Purdue senior quarterback Curtis Painter completed 22-of-37 passes for 252 yards with two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Purdue established its passing game after senior Kory Sheets ran all over the Irish in the first quarter. Sheets finished the game with 141 yards on 27 carries, but he was most effective in the first and fourth quarters.
Purdue became the seventh straight team to score at least 30 points against Notre Dame, but the Irish threatened late for the first time this season.
Junior quarterback Evan Sharpley threw his first two touchdown passes in a rally that saw Notre Dame pull within a touchdown with seven minutes remaining after falling behind 23-0 in the first half.
"We started feeding off each other a little bit the line was blocking well and receivers were making plays," Sharpley said. "It was exciting to be on the field."
Sharpley took over at quarterback in the middle of the third quarter when freshman Jimmy Clausen left the game for good with a hip injury. Clausen picked up his first collegiate passing touchdown on his last complete drive of the game.
The freshman rolled out of the pocket on fourth-and-goal and found fifth-year tight end John Carlson, who made a diving catch to put the Irish on the board.
"Jimmy threw me a ball that I could catch and I went and caught it," Carlson said. "It really isn't anything more than that."
Notre Dame's offensive line began to solidify for the first time this season. It allowed 27 sacks in the team's first four games but only two Saturday.
"We came in at halftime and coach really challenged us to step up," sophomore left tackle Sam Young said. "Now it's just maintaining it, getting that consistency factor, we have to put the first and the second half together."