Central Michigan University
2-2
Purdue
2-1
Purdue Rallies for 32-25 Win Over CMU
9/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Kory Sheets scored on a 46-yard run with 1:00 remaining to rally Purdue (2-1 overall) to a 32-25 win over Central Michigan (2-2) at Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday.
Sheets’ touchdown run, the school-record 43rd of his career, came just one snap after the Chippewas had taken a 25-24 lead on Dan LeFevour’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Ontario Sneed and two-point conversion completion to Antonio Brown.
A short kickoff set up the CMU offense at its own 39-yard line. A 23-yard completion over the middle to Jean Pitts moved the ball to the Purdue 38, but after a penalty and incompletion LeFevour’s pass up the seam intended for Brown was intercepted by safety Dwight Mclean to seal the win for Purdue in the closing seconds.
LeFevour had a hand in all three of CMU’s touchdowns. He threw an 8-yard screen pass to Sneed to give CMU a first-quarter lead and scored on a 12-yard run to knot the score at 17 in the third quarter before connecting with Sneed again late in the fourth quarter. He finished 25-of-44 passing for 291 yards and ran 24 times for 112 yards; it was the sixth 100-yard rushing day of his career and the second straight week he accounted for at least 400 yards of offense (403).
Chris Summers booted a 45-yard field goal to cap the game’s opening possession and stake Purdue to an early 3-0 lead.
The Chippewas answered quickly, covering 80 yards in 10 plays on their opening possession to take a 7-3 lead. LeFevour completed 3-of-4 passes for 35 yards, including the 8-yard scoring toss to Sneed, and ran three times for 18 yards on the drive.
LaVarus Williams’ first career interception early in the second quarter, which came one play after a CMU punt, set up a 32-yard Andrew Aguila field goal that extended CMU’s lead to 10-3. A 16-yard run by LeFevour on fourth-and-5 from the Purdue 36 kept the drive alive.
Sheets pulled the Boilermakers even on the next possession, capping a 10-play, 80-yard drive with a 1-yard scoring run on fourth-and-goal.
Purdue regained the lead six minutes into the third quarter. LeFevour was blindsided just as he threw on third-and-9 from the CMU 48-yard line, and the ball floated high over the middle of the field. Frank Duong intercepted the pass, broke to the right sideline and scored untouched. Chris Summers’ extra point gave the Boilermakers a 17-10 lead with 8:54 left in the third quarter.
CMU tied the score at 17 early in the fourth quarter. Facing second-and-19 from the CMU 48 after being sacked on first down, LeFevour hooked up with a wide-open Joe Bockheim for 40 yards down the sideline. LeFevour scored on a 12-yard run on the next snap, a play in which he was flushed from the pocket and ran through a tackle at the goal line. Aguila’s point-after drew the Chippewas even with 11:46 remaining.
A pair of third-down completions by Curtis Painter on Purdue’s next drive again put the Boilermakers in front. Aaron Valentin turned a short slant route on third-and-10 into a 57-yard gain, and Desmond Tardy hauled in a perfectly thrown pass on an out route on third-and-goal from the 2-yard line to break the tie.
The CMU defense, which limited to Purdue to 344 total yards, came up with its biggest play the next time it took the field. On third-and-1 from the CMU 49-yard line, LaVarus Williams forced and Sean Murnane recovered a Painter fumble that gave the Chippewas the ball back with 3:41 remaining.
LeFevour was nearly perfect after returning to the field, completing four straight passes to give the offense a first-and-goal from the 2-yard line. A jarring hit from Anthony Heygood knocked the ball from LeFevour’s hands on first down, but right tackle Greg Wojt recovered and Sneed caught his second touchdown pass on the next snap.
Following a CMU timeout, LeFevour found Brown for the two-point conversion that temporarily gave the Chippewas the lead. Brown was forced to dive for the low throw, but replay confirmed that he made the catch.
Sheets’ game-winning touchdown came on the first snap after the kickoff.
CMU out-gained the Boilermakers 440-344, tallied 26 first downs to Purdue’s 16 and held a more than three-minute advantage in time of possession. Purdue was held below 300 yards of total offense before Sheets’ go-ahead touchdown run in the final minute.
CMU opens a three-game homestand next Saturday, hosting Buffalo at 4 p.m.
Team Stats
CMU 0, PUR 3
PUR - Summers,Chris 45 yd field goal 14 plays, 43 yards, TOP 5:01
CMU 7, PUR 3
CMU - SNEED, Ontario 8 yd pass from LeFEVOUR, Dan (AGUILA, Andrew kick) 10 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:58
CMU 10, PUR 3
CMU - AGUILA, Andrew 32 yd field goal 8 plays, 26 yards, TOP 3:50
CMU 10, PUR 10
PUR - Sheets,Kory 1 yd run (Summers,Chris kick), 10 plays, 80 yards, TOP 4:22
CMU 10, PUR 17
PUR - Duong,Frank 58 yd interception (Summers,Chris kick)
CMU 17, PUR 17
CMU - LeFEVOUR, Dan 12 yd run (AGUILA, Andrew kick), 8 plays, 69 yards, TOP 3:07
CMU 17, PUR 24
PUR - Tardy,Desmond 2 yd pass from Painter,Curtis (Summers,Chris kick) 8 plays, 78 yards, TOP 4:12
CMU 25, PUR 24
CMU - SNEED, Ontario 6 yd pass from LeFEVOUR, Dan (BROWN, Antonio pass) 6 plays, 53 yards, TOP 2:23
CMU 25, PUR 32
PUR - Sheets,Kory 46 yd run (Orton,Greg pass), 1 plays, 46 yards, TOP 0:18