The turning point came in the final minute of the first half, as Maryland quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome dropped back to pass, hoping to give his team a chance to cut into Purdue’s nine-point lead. Instead, his pass found Boilermakers cornerback Cory Trice, who ran 32 yards for a back-breaking touchdown.
This was a back-and-forth affair throughout the first half. But after the pick-six, Maryland would never get within striking distance again, losing a crucial swing game on the road by a 40-14 final score.
Purdue held early leads of 13-0 and 20-7, but Maryland’s offense ripped off enough big plays to stay in the game. After gaining 269 total yards in the first half, though, the Terps managed just 134 yards in the second half while allowing 268. While Pigrome finished 21-of-39 through the air for 218 yards and added 107 yards and a touchdown on the ground, two interceptions overshadowed the rest.
