Dec 1, 2001
By DAN GELSTON
Associated Press Writer
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Notre Dame hardly needed its 110th-ranked offense against Purdue.
Vontez Duff scored on a 96-yard kickoff return and Jason Beckstrom returned an interception 29 yards for a score as the Irish beat the Boilermakers 24-18 Saturday in what could be Bob Davie’s last game as coach after five seasons in South Bend.
The victory may have been the last for Davie, who’s job status has been questioned during most of Notre Dame’s disappointing 5-6 season. He said earlier this week he would never resign as coach. Davie said he is the same coach he was a year ago when Notre Dame gave him a five-year contract at the end of a 9-2 regular season.
With running backs Julian Jones and Tony Fisher hurt, the Irish turned to little-used freshman Ryan Grant. Grant ran for 77 yards on 19 carries and gave Notre Dame a 7-3 lead four minutes into the second quarter with a 14-yard touchdown run.
Travis Dorsch kicked a 27-yard field goal for Purdue to make it 10-9, when Duff took the kickoff 96 yards down the sideline with 4:07 left in the third quarter.
Purdue (6-5) had a third down on its own 9 on the first drive of the fourth quarter when Kyle Orton’s pass was intercepted by Beckstrom. His touchdown made it 24-9.
Orton threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Tim Stratton with 6:08 left in the game, but Dorsch missed an extra point to make it 24-15 with 6:08 left in the game.
Clifford Jefferson intercepted Orton’s pass with four minutes remaining.
The Boilermakers got the ball back on a fumble two downs later and took over on its own 44. The drive ended with Dorsch’s 31-yard field goal.
Orton, who attempted 62 passes a week ago against Indiana, was 24-for-52 for 258 yards and three interceptions. He had one last chance to go for a win, but his desperation attempt as time expired was picked off by Jefferson.
John Standeford had 10 catches for 118 yards for Purdue.
The Irish entered with the 110th-ranked offense out of 115 teams, averaging 302.5 yards. They have the second-worst pass offense. Purdue entered 109th in total offense.
Both teams struggled to move the ball. Notre Dame’s Carlyle Holiday, who went 1-for-16 a week ago against Stanford, was 7-for-15 for 31 yards but rushed for 51 on 19 carries. The Irish had 162 yards of total offense.
Dorsch became the Big Ten career leader in kicking points and career field goals. He kicked field goals of 50, 19, 27 and 31 yards against the Irish to give him 346 career points. Dan Stultz of Ohio State had 342 from 1997-2000.
Dorsch also became the Big Ten’s career field-goal leader with 66.
The Boilermakers also got into the red zone on the drive leading up to Dorsch’s 27-yarder. They had a first-and-goal at the 5, but a personal foul pushed them back to the 18.
Athletic director Kevin White has said he will evaluate Davie’s performance at the end of the season. Davie said Tuesday he doesn’t know when he will meet with White.
Saturday’s game between the Irish and the Boilermakers was originally scheduled for Sept. 15, but was postponed due to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. This was the first time since 1931 the Boilermakers ended the regular season against a team other than Indiana.
The Boilermakers are bowl eligible and await word on an invitation. Their likely headed to the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio or the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.