Koi Perich’s interception return lifts Minnesota over Purdue 27-20

MINNEAPOLIS — Koi Perich returned an interception for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter and Minnesota held on to defeat Purdue 27-20 on Saturday.

Drake Lindsey threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns for the Golden Gophers (4-2, 2-1 in the Big Ten), who overcame deficits of 10-0 and 20-13. The Gophers also bounced back from a 42-3 loss at Ohio State last week.

“The way a team responds to that says a lot about their character,” Minnesota coach PJ Fleck said. “That was truly gutsy. It didn’t always go our way for a lot of reasons. … but never once did I think we were out of that football game.”

Ryan Browne threw for 203 yards and ran for 61 yards and a touchdown for Purdue (2-4, 0-3), who outrushed the Gophers 253-30 but were done in by numerous mistakes, including four turnovers and nine penalties.

“They’re all crucial, and they all are magnified in those situations, on third down and in the red area,” Purdue coach Barry Odom said. “We’re not good enough to do those things and win games. ”

Minnesota tied the game 20-20 midway through the fourth on a 14-play, 70-yard drive that ended in Lindsey’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Geers. The drive was aided by two face mask penalties on the Boilermakers.

On the next play from scrimmage, Perich — a sophomore safety who made many preseason All-America lists — jumped in front of a Browne pass and returned it 27 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.

“I read the QB’s eyes, and ultimately he threw it to me,” Perich said.

Browne then marched the Boilermakers all the way to Minnesota’s 5-yard line, but a holding penalty pushed them back 10 yards and a fourth-down pass was broken up at the goal line by Jai’Onte’ McMillan.

Myles Slusher had six tackles, broke up two passes and intercepted another for the Boilermakers, who have lost four straight.

Fortune teller?

Lindsey said he predicted Perich’s touchdown, though it’s not as impressive as it sounds.

“I actually told him today in the locker room, ‘You’re gonna get a pick-6,’” Lindsey recalled. “I say that usually every week. But it finally came true.”

All is not lost

Despite their four-game skid, Browne said the Boilermakers are on the verge of putting it all together.

“I think we’ve repeated some little mistakes, myself included, that are really correctable things that will completely change the outcome of games,” he said.

The takeaway

Purdue: The Boilermakers dominated both lines of scrimmage and outgained the Gophers by nearly 200 total yards, but they couldn’t overcome the penalties, three dropped passes and three interceptions, including one at the goal line on a halfback pass.

Minnesota: The return of leading rusher Darius Taylor, who missed two games due to injury, was supposed to reinvigorate Minnesota’s rushing attack. But in the two games since he came back, Taylor has just 44 yards rushing on 22 carries.

Up next

Minnesota hosts Nebraska on Friday; Purdue visits Northwestern on Saturday.