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 12 the Boilers open Big Ten play at Illinois.
Simulation 1: Robert Marve
Marve’s team tried to snap its seven-week win-loss rotation heading into Illinois in week 12.
The Boilers’ started the effort strong, with Marve connecting with OJ Ross from the 6-yard line with 12:23 to go. Four minutes later the Boilers pushed their lead to 10-0 with a 36-yard Griggs’ field goal. Iowa made the score 10-7 with a 1-yard Nathan Scheelhaase pass with 4:16 left in the opening quarter.
Akeem Hunt made Purdue’s lead 17-7 at the half with a 1-yard TD run with 2:53 left in the second quarter.
The third quarter was all Illini. They added 10 points through a 1-yard Scheelhaase pass with 13:20 left and a 26-yard field goal with 1:38 left, to go into the fourth quarter with the game tied at 17.
Purdue struck first in the fourth quarter with Akeem Hunt running for a 3-yard touchdown with 12:24 left in the game. Purdue claimed a 24-17 lead.
Illinois tied the game with a 3-yard Scheelhaase run with 5:47 left in the game. The Illini then hit what would become the game-winning field goal with 2:32 left from 36 yards out.
Marve was 21-35 on the day for 289 yards, one TD and two interceptions. He was sacked twice.
Akeem Hunt rushed 23 times for 72 yards. Marve had eight carries for 27 yards.
Antavian Edison led the Purdue receivers with eight catches for 137 yards. OJ Ross had five for 39 yards and a touchdown. Crosby Wright added four catches for 90 yards.
Will Lucas was Purdue’s Player of the Game with six tackles, two for loss.
Simulation 2: Caleb Terbush
Terbush’s team has lost five of its last six heading into Illinois.
They didn’t start their effort to end that skid strong when allowing Illinois’ Donovonn Young to score back-to-back first quarter rushing touchdowns, both from four yards out. The first came with 9:08 left in the quarter, the second with 4:16 left to take a 14-0 lead.
Purdue scored a 31-yard Paul Griggs field goal with 11:53 to go in the second quarter to finally cut into the lead 14-3. The Boilers scored again with 8:35 left in the half when Terbush connected with OJ Ross on a 40-yard pass to make the lead 14-10.
Illinois responded with a field goal of its own with 2:27 left in the half, then added a 3-yard Nathan Scheelhaase run with 30 seconds left in the half to take a 24-10 lead into the break.
The Illini added to their lead with a 28-yard field goal on the first possession after halftime, making the lead 27-10 with 13:16 to go in the third quarter. Purdue went 3-and-out on its next possession, but Ricardo Allen intercepted Scheelhaase and took it to the house with 6:13 left in the quarter to cut Illinois’ lead down to 10, 27-17. OJ Ross caught another long pass, this time 38 yards, with 40 seconds left in the third quarter to make the score 27-24 heading into the fourth quarter.
Illinois pushed its lead out to 37-24 by adding 10 straight points, first on a Young reception from the 28-yard line with 9:15 left and then on a 27-yard field goal with 7:26 left. Purdue added a 9-yard Crosby Wright reception with 3:19 left, but came up short in its comeback bid.
Illinois won 37-31.
Terbush was 19-33 on the day for 274 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
He also led the team in rushing, with 11 carries for 50 yards. Akeem Shavers had six carries for 36 yards and Akeem Hunt had four carries for 21 yards.
OJ Ross led Purdue in receiving with six catches for 123 yards and two TDs. Crosby Wright had five catches for 58 yards and a score, while Antavian Edison had three catches for 53 yards.
Illinois’ Donovonn Young had 21 carries for 117 yards and two touchdowns, along with two catches for 80 yards and a touchdown.