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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 10 • 23 BY STACY CLARDIE SClardie@GoldandBlack.com LINCOLN, Neb. — A look back at the top plays and players from No. 17 Nebraska's 35-14 victory over Purdue on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. TOP PLAYS No.3 One unit that hadn't failed Purdue this season was its outstand- ing punt team, with Thomas Mead- ows consistently booting perfectly placed punts outside of the right hash, allowing the Boilermaker's speedsters to get down and make immediate tackles or down balls. But against Nebraska, it was the area "that kind of got us," Coach Dar- rell Hazell said. Already having his first punt blocked, Meadows lined up in the second quarter for his sixth punt, and pressure, again, came racing in from the left side of Purdue's line. That player never is accounted for to be blocked, Hazell says, but Mead- ows apparently didn't roll enough away from the charging defender to get a kick off cleanly. So the ball was tipped, and the punt went only 14 yards. That set Nebraska, already leading 14-7, up near midfield with about five minutes left in the half. No.2 Still, it appeared as though Pur- due's defense was going to get another stop, having already had a goal-line stand after a 42-yard punt return early in the first quarter and forcing a field goal attempt after an- other short field later in the quarter. On third-and-five from Purdue's 30-yard line, Nebraska ran a pitch to the left side. It was limited to a one- yard gain because of great pursuit by linemen Ryan Russell and Ra'Zahn Howard, bringing up fourth down. The Cornhuskers opted to go for it, and the Boilermakers were in "quar- ters," the defensive package with an extra defensive back. Cornerback Leroy Clark came on a blitz and was right in quarterback Tommy Arm- strong's way off the right side of Ne- braska's line. It was a perfect fit. Until Armstrong slightly faked a toss to the running back wide, getting Clark to lean for a second and then Armstrong raced past him. Linebacker Ja'Whaun Bent- ley and end Jalani Phillips were late in the hole, allowing Arm- strong to keep running 29 yards into the end zone for a 21-7 lead before halftime. No.1 Landon Feichter did his best to get Purdue back into the game in the second half, the second of his two interceptions giving the Boilermak- ers the ball on Nebraska's side of the field trailing 28-14. But, as it had all day, Purdue's of- fense struggled to generate plays in the passing game consistently with the Cornhuskers dropping as many as seven defenders into coverage. After Feichter's second pick, the offense was on Nebraska's 36, but Austin Appleby couldn't find receivers to make the big play to produce points. An incomplete pass on first down and then two short comple- tions brought up fourth-and-five from the 31. With a trips formation to the right, Appleby took the shotgun snap and got pressure quickly off his left side when David Hedelin was beaten by Randy Gregory. Appleby moved in the pocket and had to re- lease an off-balance, sidearm throw downfield with the pressure, and it was off-target for Gabe Holmes. On the next series, Purdue also failed to gain a first down, essential- ly running out of time to rally. N E B R A S K A 3 5 , P U R D U E 1 4 A LOOK BACK AT SATURDAY'S TOP PLAYS AND PLAYERS PURDUE VS. NEBRASKA GAME STORY