Baird: Auburn loss shows returning Purdue football players the gap they must fill
NASHVILLE — Here's your silver lining, Purdue football fans, and it's a dull shine at that.
That's as bad as it can get.
Auburn's
63-14 evisceration of the Boilermakers in the Music City Bowl was every
bit as bad as the scoreboard indicated and then some. No Purdue team
had never allowed as many points.
In desperation,
the Boilermakers went for it on fourth down in their own territory twice
in the first half. Soon, desperation mode shifted to salvaging some
dignity out of an increasingly embarrassing afternoon.
The
ghastly halftime scoreboard — 56-7 after the Tigers scored an FBS bowl
record for points in a half — accurately reflected the disparity between
the programs on Saturday. Purdue overachieved to reach the Music City
Bowl only to be compromised by injuries, at first key and eventually
widespread. Auburn fell short of preseason expectations to drop into its
invitation to Nashville, then exerted its widespread athletic
dominance.
Music City Bowl: 5 takeaways from Purdue's 63-14 loss to Auburn
Grading the Boilermakers: Music City Bowl: Auburn 63, Purdue 14
It was a game any team would prefer to quickly forget.
Purdue cannot afford to.
Every
Boilermaker defensive back must remember the helpless feeling of
falling for Jarrett Stidham's play action and futilely chasing Auburn
receivers to the end zone.
Every offensive lineman
must remember the sight of quarterback David Blough squirming away from
pressure, or the crunch and thud of another Tiger putting him down.
Everyone
on that sideline must remember the helpless feeling of watching that
first-half avalanche of speed and strength advance on them unimpeded.
The
outgoing Purdue players were tasked with overcoming modest beginnings
and pushing the program back to a level where lopsided bowl matchups
were even possible.
The returning Boilermakers now have their own mission: Fill the gap.
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Source: https://www.jconline.com/story/sports/college/purdue/football/2018/12/28/baird-auburn-loss-shows-purdue-football-gap-must-fill/2432352002/
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