Purdue Opens Big Ten Slate With 45-31 Win At Minnesota

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Desmond Tardy runs back opening kickoff for touchdown and Boilermakers do not look back

Curtis Painter finished with 338 yards passing and three touchdowns.

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Sept. 23, 2007

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Curtis Painter and Dorien Bryant hooked up for two scores and Kory Sheets also caught a touchdown as the Boilermakers defeated Minnesota 45-31 on Saturday night.

Painter was 17-for-21 for 199 yards in the second half and finished with 338 yards passing and three touchdowns. Dorien Bryant added 12 catches for 150 yards and two touchdowns for the Boilermakers (4-0).

Purdue jumped out to a 17-0 first-quarter lead on the heels of a Desmond Tardy 95-yard kickoff return to open the game. The Boilermakers continued to find different ways to score, using a Cliff Avril interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter to build a 24-3 halftime lead.

The two teams traded blows in the third, with each squad capturing two touchdowns apiece, and Purdue entered the final quarter up 38-17.

After Minnesota opened the fourth with a score, Painter found Bryant for the second time in the game to ice the triumph in the Big Ten opener.