WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Peyton Ramsey took advantage of his expertise Saturday.
He evaded pass rushers, remained poised and kept Northwestern moving down the field. The Wildcats needed a solid performance from the fifth-year senior, and they got it.
Ramsey made up for a stymied rushing attack by throwing for 212 yards and three touchdowns, leading No. 23 Northwestern to a 27-20 victory over Purdue.
"Man, it seems like he's having a lot of fun," said coach Pat Fitzgerald, who played on the last Wildcats team to start 4-0 in league play in 1996. "I don't know what it looks like on TV, but on the boundary, this guy is awesome."
Ramsey hooked up with Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman on all three scores. Ramsey, a graduate transfer, also ran six times for 21 yards, routinely extending plays.
"That's what he's known for," Purdue linebacker Derrick Barnes said, referring to Ramsey's mobility. "We have to do a better job against those types of quarterbacks."
The Wildcats defense was strong again. It held Purdue to 2 yards rushing.
Ramsey's 8-yard touchdown pass on the opening possession ended Chiaokhiao-Bowman's three-year scoring drought.
