As suspected, Purdue has struggled this season with their inexperience compounded by key injuries to Rondale Moore and quarterback Elijah Sindelar. The Boilermakers started the season on the wrong foot by blowing a 17 point lead on the road at Nevada. After the Wolf Pack tied the game with 52 seconds left, Sindelar threw an awful interception to set up Nevada’s game winning field goal as time expired. After bouncing back with a 42-24 victory over Vanderbilt, Purdue limped to a 34-13 loss to TCU.
Against Minnesota, Sindelar and Moore were both injured on one second quarter play; Sindelar broke his clavicle and will miss most of the rest of the season, while Moore sufferred a hamstring injury and hasn’t played since.