Purdue defense dominates Indiana State in season opener

Sep 4, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers wide receiver Xavier Townsend (3) avoids a tackle by Indiana State Sycamores linebacker Alex Rose (36) during the third quarter at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Ryan Browne passed for 317 yards and three touchdowns as Purdue opened its season with a dominating 44-19 victory over Indiana State on Friday in West Lafayette, Ind.

Browne finished 23 of 29 through the air with Assad Waseem collecting 107 yards and a score on six catches. The Boilermakers (1-0) outgained Indiana State 523-284, recorded eight tackles for a loss and beat the Sycamores for the eighth straight time.

Fame Ijeboi amassed 117 yards (87 yards and a score on the ground and 30 more receiving) in the victory.

Elijah Owens passed for 101 yards and ran for 60 more and backup quarterback Brady Allen had 117 yards passing and a score to lead the Sycamores' attack.

The Boilermakers took the opening kickoff and drove to the Indiana State 21 in eight plays before settling for a 39-yard field goal by Jacobo Echeverria Lozano at the 11:06 mark of the first quarter.

The Sycamores (0-2), who play in the FCS, answered with a nine-play, 65-yard march that produced a 28-yard field goal by Sebastian Lopez with 7:08 to play in the opening quarter.

Browne passed six yards to Chauncey Magwood for a touchdown on Purdue's ensuing possession, culminating a 12-play, 75-yard drive that consumed 7:04 of the clock. Echeverria Lozano added to the Boilermakers' lead when he hit from 25 yards with 9:16 left in the half.

Indiana State responded with a 47-yard Lopez field goal with 4:07 remaining before halftime. Echeverria Lozano then added a 23-yard field goal on the final play to send Purdue to the break up 16-6.

The third quarter belonged to the Boilermakers. Ijeboi scored on a 1-yard run out of the wildcat formation with 10:50 to play in the quarter. Browne then passed to Tra'Mar Harris for a 7-yard touchdown and to Waseem on an 18-yard scoring play, the latter with 21 seconds left in the quarter, to expand the lead to 37-6.

Purdue's Don Saunders intercepted Allen on the second snap of the fourth quarter and returned the pick 35 yards for a touchdown.

Allen swung back with a 45-yard catch-and-run scoring pass to Jayden Reed to cut into the Sycamores' deficit but Lopez missed the PAT. Max McCool added a late 1-yard touchdown run for Indiana State to finalize the scoring.