Purdue Boilermakers vs Illinois Fighting Illini: First Quarter Reactions

Ah, it is finally GAMEDAY! Today the Purdue Boilermakers take on the Illinois Fighting Illini in Champaigne. Big news from both camps today as the Illini get quarterback Wes Lunt back and the Boilermakers decided to remove Danny Etling from behind center and give Austin Appleby a chance to show his quarterbacking skills.

Let’s take a look at some of the first quarter highlights.

• Redshirt freshman Austin Appleby got the start for the first time in his career. He started the game with a 12-yard pass to freshman Trae Hart, who also got the first start of his career. Nice start for both players.
• Illinois held Purdue to a 3-and-out to start the game, then drove 83 yards for a touchdown. Lunt hit his tight end Tyler White for a 13-yard touchdown.
• Purdue answered on their next drive with a 44-yard touchdown run from Raheem Mostert. The Illinoi defense bit on a fake to Akeem Hunt and Mostert scampered downfield, untouched.
• Illinois’s Josh Ferguson has been killer on offense so far. On two drives he’s picked up 85 total yards – 38 rushing and 47 passing – and finished of the Illini’s second drive with a 2-yards touchdown run.
• At the end of the first quarter the Illini lead 14-7.

So far the Purdue offense is looking really good. Appleby is playing great, better than anything Etling has shown us this year. The offense has 154 total yards, more than Illinois.