1997 Superlatives

Team Bests
Rush Attempts -- 48 at Illinois
Rushing Yards -- 279 at Illinois
Pass Attempts -- 60 vs. Penn State
Pass Completions --33 vs. Penn State
Passing Yards -- 355 vs. Wisconsin
Total Yards --559 vs. Wisconsin
Punt Return Yards -- 35 twice, vs. Ball State & Minnesota
Kickoff Return Yards --124 vs. Minnesota
Purdue's Record When...
Home    5-1
Road    3-2
Turf    4-1
Grass   5-2
Ahead at halftime   8-1
Behind at halftime  1-2
Ahead after the third quarter   8-0
Behind after the third quarter  1-3
Boilermakers score first    5-3
Opponent scores first   4-0
Largest halftime lead (34-3 at Illinois)    31
Largest halftime deficit (27-14 at Toledo)  13
Rush for 150 yards or more  6-1
Pass for 300 yards or more  4-2
Total 400 yards or more 8-2
Opponent has less than 200 yards rushing    7-2
Opponent has less than 200 yards passing    3-1
Opponent has less than 400 total yards  4-0
Less turnovers than opponent    5-1
More turnovers than opponent    0-2
Turnovers equal 4-0
Less penalty yardage than opponent  5-0
More penalty yardage than opponent  4-3
Leading in time of possession   3-0
Leading in first downs  4-1
Hold opponent to 20 points or less  6-0
Scoring 20 or more points   9-1
Games decided by 3 points or less   1-0
Games decided by 10 points or less  0-0
Games decided by 11-20 points   5-2
Games decided by 21 points or more  3-1


Here's how Purdue fared in 1997 when they took the ball inside the opponent's 20-yard line (38-49 for .776%).



Opponent        No. Scores  TDs FGs
Toledo          1   1       1   0
Notre Dame      4   3       3   0
Ball State      5   4       3   1
Northwestern    4   2       2   0
Minnesota       4   4       3   1
Wisconsin       5   5       4   1
Illinois        8   6       4   2
Iowa            2   2       1   1
Michigan State  3   2       1   1
Penn State      4   2       2   0
Indiana         4   4       4   0
Oklahoma State  5   3       3   0
Totals          49  38      31  7



Individual Bests
Rush Attempts -- 24 Edwin Watson vs. Michigan State
Rushing Yards -- 177 Kendall Matthews at Illinois
Pass Attempts --  60 Billy Dicken vs. Penn State
Pass Completions -- 33 Billy Dicken vs. Penn State
Passing Yards -- 352 Billy Dicken vs. Notre Dame
Receptions -- 10 Brian Alford at Toledo; 10 Isaac Jones vs. Penn St
Receiving Yards -- 215 Brian Alford at Minnesota
Punt Return Yards -- 35 Vinny Sutherland vs. Ball State and Minnesota
Kickoff Return Yards -- 124 Chris Clopton vs. Minnesota
Solo Tackles -- 15 Willie Fells at Iowa
Total Tackles -- 20 Willie Fells at Iowa
Long Plays
Rush -- 75 Edwin Watson vs. Wisconsin
Pass -- 93 Billy Dicken to Brian Alford vs. Minnesota
Field Goal -- 44 Shane Ryan at Illinois
Punt -- 61 Brandon Kaser vs. Minnesota
Punt Return --21 Vinny Sutherland vs. Ball State & Minnesota
Kickoff Return -- 36 Chris Clopton vs. Michigan State
Interception Return -- 45 Mike Hawthorne vs. Minnesota
Fumble Return -- 45 Adrian Beasley vs. Notre Dame
    
Purdue in the Big Ten/NCAA (top 50)
Team Stats              (Avg.)  Big Ten NCAA
Total Offense           (459.2) 1st     7th
Rushing Offense         (174.0) 6th     35th
Pass Efficiency         (125.2) 5th     --
Passing Offense         (285.2) 1st     13th
Scoring Offense         (33.0)  2nd     22nd
Total Defense           (401.3) 9th     --
Rushing Defense         (178.1) 7th     --
Pass Defense Efficiency (117.1) 6th     --
Pass Defense            (223.3) 9th     --
Scoring Defense         (22.3)  6th     46th
Kickoff Returns         (18.8)  10th    --
Net Punting             (36.0)  5th     --
First Downs             (256)   2nd     --
3rd-Down Conversions    (47.0)  1st     --
Sacks By                (35)    T6th    --
Punt Returns            (8.7)   5th     --
Turnover Margin         (+14.0) 1st     T9th
Purdue in the Big Ten (top 10)/NCAA (top 50)
Individual Stats             (Avg.)     Big Ten     NCAA
Rushing, Watson              (77.3)     7th         --
Pass Eff./Rating, Dicken     (128.9)    6th         44th
Passing Yards, Dicken        (261.3)    1st         --
Total Offense, Dicken        (290.6)    1st         10th
Receptions, Alford           (5.3)      3rd         T29th
Receptions, Jones            (3.7)      7th         --
Receving Yards, Alford       (102.3)    1st         8th
All-Purpose Yds., Watson     (111.5)    9th         --
All-Purpose Yds., Alford     (103.3)    10th        --
Scoring, Watson              (6.7)      5th         T38th
Kick Scoring, Ryan           (6.0)      T7th        --
Punting, Kaser               (44.7)     2nd         --
Punt Returns, Sutherland     (9.8)      6th         --
Kickoff Returns, Clopton     (21.1)     5th         --
Field Goals, Ryan            (9)        7th         --
PAT Kicking, Ryan            (.957)     6th         --
Tackles, Fells               (10.9)     3rd         --
Tackles For Loss, Colvin     (22)       4th         --
Sacks, Colvin                (12.5)     T4th        --
Interceptions, Rose          (4)        T6th    T42nd
Interceptions, Conard        (4)        T6th    T42nd