HOUSTON — Amid the frantic celebration, Rice coach David Bailiff couldn’t get anybody to tell him who blocked Carson Wiggs’ last-second kick to preserve the Owls’ 24-22 win over Purdue on Saturday.
At that point, it hardly mattered.
Rice (1-1) snapped a 10-year losing streak against Bowl Championship Series teams and earned its first win over a Big Ten team since 1997. The Owls’ last win over a BCS opponent was a 15-13 victory over Duke on Sept. 8, 2001.
Bailiff found out later that Justin Allen, a senior linebacker, batted away Wiggs’ 31-yard attempt. But Rice had many other stars in the kind of milestone victory that Bailiff promised was coming when he took over the program in 2007.
“The streak’s over, the monkey’s off our back,” Bailiff said. “It’s going to help recruiting, it’s going to help this team believe in itself, it’s going to give these guys the confidence to believe that, yeah, we can go on the field and compete with anybody.
“It’s everything we’ve been telling them.”
The Boilermakers got the ball near midfield with 1:52 remaining, and three long runs by Ralph Bolden moved them inside the 20.
Purdue (1-1) was content to let the clock run down so that Wiggs’ kick would be the final play. Wiggs said the Boilermakers executed properly, but Allen surged through the middle of the line and swatted it with his right arm.
“I saw the ‘A’ gap open in front of me, more open than I thought it would be,” Allen said. “I took three quick steps and got my hand up and the ball went off my right forearm. Things just went right for us today.”
When the kick ricocheted away and time expired, the euphoric Owls poured onto the field.
“Who blocked it? Who blocked it?” Bailiff said he repeatedly asked. “I asked (defensive end) Scott Solomon and all I could get out of him was yelling.”
Caleb TerBush completed 18 of 31 passes for 183 yards for Purdue, which needed a last-minute touchdown pass from TerBush to Antavian Edison to beat Middle Tennessee in its opener last week.
The Boilermakers fell short this time, failing to cash in on several scoring opportunities in the second half. The offense produced 185 yards and 17 points in the first half, but only a field goal in the second.
“We have to make more plays. We had our chances,” Purdue coach Danny Hope said. “We should be jumping up and down and hugging right now, but instead, we have a bad taste in our mouth.”
Taylor McHargue completed 19 of 29 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns for Rice. The sophomore went 11 for 18 for 138 yards in the first half, then completed his first four throws of the third quarter, including a 19-yard touchdown to Sam McGuffie to put Rice up 24-17.
The Boilermakers drove into Rice territory twice in the third quarter and came away with nothing.
Owls defensive end Scott Solomon sacked TerBush to push Purdue out of field-goal range the first time. Purdue then drove to the Rice 2, but Akeem Shavers was stopped at the line on fourth down.
Hope wasn’t second-guessing his decision to go for the touchdown, instead of the field goal.
“Very seldom do you not take the points,” he said, “but I felt that our team needed the momentum.”
Purdue’s defense made a play of its own, tackling Rice running back Charles Ross in the end zone for a safety to make it 24-19.
McHargue converted a third-and-19 with a 35-yard strike to wide receiver Randy Kitchens early in the fourth quarter. Purdue’s Robert Maci then sacked McHargue and knocked the ball loose, and Kawann Short recovered with 10:58 left.
TerBush completed three consecutive passes for big gains and Purdue quickly drove to the Rice 13. The Owls’ defense stiffened again, and Wiggs’ 27-yard field goal cut the deficit to 24-22.
“They bent, but they didn’t break,” Bailiff said of the Rice defense.
The Boilermakers broke a 10-10 tie when TerBush found tight end Crosby Wright over the middle for a 19-yard touchdown with 5:56 left in the first half.
McHargue had Rice on the move in the final minutes of the half, and got lucky when center Eric Ball recovered his fumble at the Purdue 19. Tight end Luke Willson made a diving catch in the end zone on the last play of the first half. After an official review, the catch was confirmed for the tying score.
Purdue outgained Rice 366-352, but converted only 6 of 18 third downs. The Owls also recorded four sacks.
