It’s Four and Out for Purdue

Second-ranked Penn State converted three turnovers into 21 points and turned back the passing of Drew Brees when it counted most to beat No. 16 Purdue, 31-25, on Saturday.

Penn State, 8-0 overall and 4-0 in the Big Ten, forced Brees into four incomplete passes in the final minute after he had moved Purdue (5-3, 2-3) 58 yards to a first down at the 12 with 31 seconds remaining.

Brees, who was 31 of 48 passing for 379 yards, had his first-down pass tipped at the line of scrimmage by cornerback Anthony King on a blitz. A pass to Randall Lane went incomplete on the next play and on third down he threw the ball out of the end zone to avoid a sack.

Brees then threw past the outstretched arms of Chris Daniels, and Purdue was out of downs.

The victory was the 315th for Penn State’s Joe Paterno, moving him past Amos Alonzo Stagg into third place among major-college coaches and within eight of Bear Bryant’s record total. It was the 10th consecutive victory for Penn State, the second-longest winning streak among major schools.

Penn State got a touchdown from linebacker LaVar Arrington when he sacked Brees and forced a fumble, which he picked up at the Purdue two and carried into the end zone. The Nittany Lions also scored a touchdown in the third quarter on a 25-yard interception return by Courtney Brown.

Another mistake by Purdue produced a 14-14 halftime tie. Antoine Neal was attempting to return a punt when he mishandled the ball and Mac Morrison recovered for Penn State at the Purdue 41. Two plays later, cornerback James Dunnigan was beaten by Eddie Drummond, who caught a 39-yard touchdown pass from Kevin Thompson.

Thompson and Chafie Fields hooked up for a 78-yard touchdown on the first play of the second half to put Penn State ahead for good at 21-14. Brown’s interception return with 10:19 left in the third quarter made it 28-14.

A 27-yard field goal by Travis Dorsch made it 28-17 and the Boilermakers converted a Penn State mistake to get back into the game. Mike Rose recovered reserve quarterback Rashard Casey’s fumble at the Penn State 26 and Purdue scored in three plays, the last a four-yard pass play from Brees to Lane. The same players combined for the two-point conversion.

Travis Forney’s 24-yard field accounted for the final points with 8:01 left in the game.