After ending a 14-game losing streak in true road games last week, Northwestern will try to close a strong home season in Evanston, Ill., against Purdue on Saturday.
The Wildcats (5-5, 3-4 Big Ten) can become bowl eligible by doing something they haven't all season: winning consecutive games.
Northwestern is coming off a 24-10 road victory against Wisconsin that featured the return of quarterback Ben Bryant, who had missed the previous four games with an upper-body injury. Bryant was 18-for-26 passing for 195 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a score.
"What I saw was a young man that didn't miss a beat," Wildcats interim coach David Braun said. "Even when he was injured and coming back from injury, staying locked in, staying focused and knew that his opportunity was going to come at some point and he was going to be great."
The Wildcats are 4-1 at Ryan Field in Evanston this season.
Purdue (3-7, 2-5), meanwhile, stopped a four-game losing streak with a 49-30 rout of visiting Minnesota on Nov. 11.
Boilermakers quarterback Hudson Card tied his career best with three touchdown passes while throwing for 251 yards -- exceeding the two totals from the two previous games combined.
Still, it was the ground game that really got things going, as Devin Mockobee (153 yards) and Tyrone Tracy Jr. (122) became the first Purdue duo to top 100 yards rushing in the same game since 2018.
Mockobee and Tracy combined for three scores, while Card added a rushing touchdown. Not bad for an attack operating behind an offensive line playing with NAIA transfer Ben Farrell and usual interior lineman Josh Kaltenberger at tackle.
Purdue set season highs for points, total yards (604) and touchdowns (seven).
"I always believed in the plan schematically week to week, and I just think we were able to execute that plan on Saturday," Boilermakers coach Ryan Walters said.
Purdue carries a two-game series winning streak into the game and boasts a 53-33-1 edge against Northwestern all-time.
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