The takeaways were a positive improvement for their defense, but the run defense whiffed too often.
The Boilermakers ranked 111th nationally in rushing at 115 yards per game. They had 178 rushing yards by halftime.
Purdue faced a fourth-and-2 from the Minnesota 40 on the game’s opening possession. The Boilermakers called a timeout, sent in backup quarterback Malachi Singleton and ran a quarterback draw that resulted in a 40-yard touchdown run up the gut.
Starting quarterback Ryan Browne rushed for 61 yards and a touchdown. Bulldozer running back Devin Mockobee rumbled for 98 yards.
Missed tackles remain a theme. The Gophers missed 45 tackles combined in their previous three games, per Pro Football Focus.
Fleck’s declaration that he has “really good team” will be determined by what happens in this four-game stretch: Purdue, Nebraska, at Iowa, Michigan State. Three at home, none of the four opponents overly daunting.