Jim Colletto Era Ends With Loss to Indiana

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Alex Smith rushed for 164 yards and two touchdowns and Nathan Davis returned a blocked punt 54 yards for a score in the fourth quarter, lifting Indiana to a 33-16 Big Ten Conference victory over Purdue on Nov. 23 as both teams said goodbye to coaches.

Indiana coach Bill Mallory snapped an eight-game losing streak and went out a winner as the Hoosiers (3-8, 1-7 Big Ten) claimed the "Old Oaken Bucket" for the fourth time in five years.

Jim Colletto lost five of his last six games at Purdue (3-8, 2-6), which tabbed Wyoming coach Joe Tiller as its new coach on Friday. Colletto and Mallory are two of four Big Ten coaches asked to step down at the end of the season.

Smith carried 31 times, including had a two-yard touchdown run with 3:16 left in the third quarter, giving Indiana the lead for good at 17-16. Davis, a 290-pound defensive lineman, picked up a blocked punt and ran 61 yards for a TD to make it 24-16 with 12:06 to go.

Indiana added a safety and Smith's seven-yard TD scamper 1:45 apart midway through the final period as the Hoosiers ended a 15-game Big Ten losing streak. Smith posted his 16th career 100-yard game.

After the teams traded field goals, Purdue took the lead on a 90-yard TD pass from Rick Trefzger to Brian Alford 12 seconds into the first quarter. Trefzger was 18-of-35 for 301 yards and two touchdowns, but four interceptions. Alford caught five passes for 162 yards.

Indiana's Kywin Supernaw returned an interception 13 yards for a score and Alford hauled in a 22-yard TD pass from Trefzger, leaving Purdue with a 16-10 halftime lead. Supernaw had two interceptions. 

Indiana               3  7  7 16 -- 33
Purdue                3 13  0  0 -- 16  
 Indiana-FG Manolopoulos 27
 Purdue-FG Ryan 36
 Purdue-Alford 90 pass from Trefzger (Ryan kick)
 Indiana-Supernaw 13 interception return (Manolopoulos kick)
 Purdue-Alford 22 pass from Trefzger (kick failed)
 Indiana-Smith 2 run (Manolopoulos kick)
 Indiana-Davis 51 blocked punt return (Manolopoulos kick)
 Indiana-Safety, Trefzger tackled in end zone
 Indiana-Smith 7 run (Manolopoulos kick)
                        INDIANA      PURDUE
First downs                  10          22
Rushed-yards             40-147      44-106
Passing yards                89         312
Sacked-yards lost          3-23        4-31
Return yards                156           5
Passes                  10-18-0     19-38-4
Punts                    8-44.1      6-33.8
Fumbles-lost                0-0         2-0
Penalties-yards            3-25        5-44
Time of possession        29:38       30:22
Individual Statistics
RUSHING: Indiana-Smith 31-164, J Ware 3-7, Cr Goode 1-4, Kirn
1-minus 2, Spear 1-minus 3, Dittoe 3-minus 23. Purdue-Watson
15-52, Matthews 13-46, Reeves 3-21, Sanders 1-0, Alford 1-minus
3, Trefzger 11-minus 10.
PASSING: Indiana-Dittoe 10-18-0-89. Purdue-Trefzger
18-35-4-301, Reeves 1-3-0-11.
RECEIVING: Indiana-Stoner 3-22, Klusmeyer 2-26, Wilkerson 2-12,
S Lee 1-31, Maxwell 1-0, Smith 1-minus 2. Purdue-Olivadotti
7-61, Alford 5-162, Watson 2-40, Tillman 2-34, Matthews 2-4, I
Jones 1-11.
Att: 50,750