Postgame Notes: #8 Michigan 28, Purdue 10
9/23/2017 8:04:00 PM | Football
• The attendance of 60,042 at today's game marked the highest at any game in West Lafayette since Nov. 22, 2008, the final game of longtime head coach Joe Tiller's career at Purdue.
• Today's game marked the 59th meeting between Michigan and Purdue. U-M improved its all-time series record to 45-14, including 9-1 when the two teams play each other in the first week of Big Ten play.
• The Wolverines are now 1-0 in Big Ten play, having won 11 of the last 12 conference openers with a 47-3 overall record in conference openers since 1968. Today's win marks the 31st Big Ten opener on the road for U-M.
• The kickoff temperature of 89 degrees at today's game marked the highest at Ross-Ade Stadium since 2011.
• The Maize and Blue offense converted all three of its red zone possessions into touchdowns during the game (two rushing, one passing).
• The 13-play, 84-yard drive that John O'Korn engineered to give Michigan its first score was the longest distance a Michigan scoring drive has covered this season until O'Korn led an 11-play, 86-yard drive in the third quarter.
• The Boilermaker offense faced only three third-down situations with a shorter distance than seven yards all game, with the other eight instances each measuring seven yards or longer, including 13, 18, 21 and 25 yards.
• Fifth-year senior John O'Korn played quarterback in relief of starter Wilton Speight. O'Korn completed 18-of-26 pass attempts to lead the Wolverines to the second win of his U-M career. The first came in his start against Indiana last fall, a 20-10 victory.
• John O'Korn finished with 270 yards passing, the most by a Michigan quarterback against Purdue since John Navarre threw for 271 yards in the 2002 matchup. O'Korn joins Navarre, Chad Henne, Chris Zurbrugg, Drew Henson and Tom Brady as the only six quarterbacks in U-M history to register at least 250 yards passing against Purdue.
• John O'Korn connected with eight different pass catchers during the game: Kekoa Crawford, Chris Evans, Zach Gentry, Sean McKeon, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Grant Perry, Henry Poggi and Nate Schoenle.
• John O'Korn's second-quarter touchdown pass to Zach Gentry was the first of TD catch Gentry's career and the first red zone passing touchdown of the season for the Wolverines.
• Zach Gentry finished the day with a career-high 48 yards receiving. Fellow tight end Sean McKeon also set a career high in receiving with 82 yards through the air.
• Sophomore running back Chris Evans scored his first touchdown of the year on a 10-yard scamper in the third quarter, giving U-M a 14-10 lead. Evans finished with 97 yards and two scores on the ground by virtue of 14 carries.
• Senior running back Ty Isaac recorded his first touchdown of the season by punching in a one-yard score in the fourth quarter. It was the seventh of Isaac's career at U-M.
• Freshman punter Brad Robbins made his Michigan debut in today's game, handling punting duties. Robbins punted seven times for an average of 40.6 yards per kick.
• Sophomore quarterback Brandon Peters made his debut in relief of O'Korn and completed his first career pass.
• Wide receiver Nate Schoenle caught his first career pass in the contest, a 14-yard gain from John O'Korn in the first quarter. He finished with 29 yards receiving on two catches.
• Michigan's defense held Purdue to 0-for-12 on third-down conversion opportunities. Purdue did not convert a first down in the second half.
• Michigan held a distinct advantage in second-half yardage, outgaining Purdue 292-10.
• Defensive end Chase Winovich registered a career-high three sacks and 4.0 tackles for loss in today's game.
• Cornerback David Long recorded his first career pass breakup.
• Linebacker Noah Furbush made his second fumble recovery of the season in the fourth quarter.
• Purdue quarterback David Blough had entered the contest with at least one touchdown pass in 15 straight games, but U-M kept him off the scoreboard through the air.
• Purdue was one of just nine teams in the nation to allow one play or no plays of 30 yards or longer entering the contest; Michigan registered plays of 49 yards (Evans, rush) and 34 yards (McKeon, reception).
