Caleb TerBush throws 4 TD passes as Purdue holds off Marshall 51-41
By JIM JOHNSON
ISL Correspondent
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue Boilermakers needed a big win before entering the Big Ten season and a 51-41 win over Marshall on Saturday was big enough.
Purdue quarterback Caleb TerBush was 27 of 37 for 294 yards passing and four touchdowns in the win, with three of the scores going to Gary Bush. On top of that, Purdue had two pick-sixes in the first half, setting a single-game school record.
“It was a great team effort and a great collective effort and anytime you get two pick-sixes in the first half, that’s something to celebrate,” Purdue coach Danny Hope said.
That’s about all Purdue’s previously stout defense did right. Marshall quarterback Rakeem Cato completed 45 of 68 passes for 439 yards.
“It was a challenge,” Purdue defensive lineman Kawann Short said. “We haven’t faced that since I’ve been here. It was the best offense I’ve ever been around as far as fast-paced and not many penalties that they had. We knew we just had to take a deep breath and sit back and just let everything happen.”
Purdue scored twice in the first quarter and four more times in the second to take a 42-14 lead at halftime.
Marshall wasn’t finished though. The Thundering Herd came out in the second half and scored right away on a 28-yard touchdown pass from Cato to Gator Hoskins at the 10:03 mark. Later they scored again when Derek Mitchell blocked a Purdue punt and scored to make it 42-28 in the third. The Boilermakers kept enough breathing room, though. Purdue’s Paul Griggs kicked a 34-yard field goal late in the third quarter to make it 45-28 and in the fourth, Bush scored again to make it 51-35.
“I was just in the right place at the right time,” Bush said. “Some games you don’t get the ball that much, some games you do. Today was my lucky day, I got the ball.”
The Boilermakers open up the conference season next week when they host Michigan.
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