TheBoilingPoints.com will be simulating the 2012-13 college football season in NCAA Football 13. In case you were sitting at home trying to figure out how to spend the next three weeks while you wait for the Olympics to begin, check back at TheBoilingPoints.com every weekday afternoon to see the results.
We’ll be doing one game per day, but will simulate each game three times: once with Robert Marve at quarterback and once with Caleb Terbush at quarterback. We began one with Rob Henry at quarterback, but he made it through just three weeks before being injured and missing the rest of the season. Sorry Austin Appleby fans, we’ll hook you up when NCAA Football 14 comes out.
In week 10 the Boilers open Big Ten play against Penn State, who isn’t sanctioned in the video game.
Simulation 1: Robert Marve
Marve and the Boilermakers were back home in Ross-Ade Stadium in week 10, hoping to build some momentum with a second-straight win after blowing out Minnesota.
The game started well for the Boilers, with Marve connecting with Antavian Edison just 45 seconds into the first quarter on a 22-yard touchdown pass to take a 7-0 lead. Penn State responded with a 4-yard touchdown pass with 9:15 to play. Two and a half minutes later, the Nittany Lions were back in the end zone, taking a 14-7 lead with a six yard run. The Boilermakers added their second touchdown of the day minutes later when Akeem Shavers scored on a 3 yard run, but Paul Griggs’ extra point attempt was blocked. The Boilers trailed 14-13 at the end of the first quarter.
Penn State added to its lead with a 1 yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter, going up 21-13. Purdue came back with touchdowns at the 8:42 and 5:17 marks, first with Brandon Cottom scoring on a 2-yard run and next with OJ Ross catching a Marve pass from 8 yards out. Hope decided to get the 2-point conversion after the Cottom score, so the Boilers led 28-21 at the half.
Penn State struck first in the second half, with Silas Redd getting his second touchdown of the day on a 49 yard run with 7:42 to go in the third quarter, tying the game. The Nittany Lions took the lead with a 42 yard field goal with 3:08 to go in the quarter. Purdue was unable to put any points on the board.
Penn State upped its lead to 10 on a 7-yard touchdown pass with 12:19 to play in the game. Purdue finally showed some signs of life with a 50-yard Paul Griggs field goal with 8:51 to play, cutting the lead to seven, but Penn State’s Redd found the end zone again on PSU’s next possession to make the score 45-31. Purdue was unable to come back from that.
Marve was 20-40 for 321 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT. He was Purdue’s Player of the Game. He also rushed five times for eight yards.
Akeem Hunt led Purdue’s rushing attack, with 84 yards on 20 carries. Akeem Shavers had six carries for 39 yards and a touchdown.
Crosby Wright had seven catches for 105 yards, but it was Antavian Edison who led the Boilers in receiving, with seven catches for 142 yards and a score. OJ Ross added three catches for 22 yards and a touchdown.
Simulation 2: Caleb Terbush
Terbush’s struggling Purdue team faced Penn State hoping to string together some momentum with a second win in a row.
Penn State found the end zone first in this one, with Silas Redd catching a 3-yard pass with 11:27 to go in the first quarter. Purdue tied it up with a 2-yard Caleb Terbush keeper six and a half minutes later. Penn State made the score 14-7 with a Silas Redd run from the 1-yard line with 1:41 to go in the first.
The second quarter was munch less exciting, with both defenses shutting the opposing offense down. Purdue finally got some points with 35 seconds left in the half when Paul Griggs hit a 35-yard field goal to make the score 14-10 at the break.
The third quarter was another low-scoring affair, with the only points coming off a 36-yard Penn State field goal with 4:47 left to make the Penn State lead 17-10.
There was only one score in the fourth quarter as well. This time, it was a Caleb Terbush touchdown run from 7 yards out to tie the game at 17 with 8 minutes to play. Neither team was able to score again, and we headed to overtime.
Purdue was only able to get a 42-yard Griggs’ field goal in the first overtime period, but held Penn State to a 40-yard kick of its own. The team went into a second overtime tied 20-20.
In the second overtime, Silas Redd ran into the end zone from 3 yards out to give Penn State a 27-20 lead. Purdue was unable to get into the end zone on its ensuing possession, and gave the ball up after failing to convert a 4th down, resulting in a loss.
It was Purdue’s second overtime loss in three weeks.
Terbush struggled to 13-43 for 93 yards and no passing touchdowns, with two interceptions. He did lead the team in rushing, however, with 21 carries for 114 yards and two touchdowns.
Akeem Shavers had 20 carries for 110 yards and Akeem Hunt had 10 carries for 50 yards.
Crosby Wright had five catches for 34 yards. Antavian Edison had four catches for 35 yards.