Purdue: Remember Dicken’s Big Day

Billy Dicken passed for 325 yards and No. 17 Purdue scored three touchdowns in the third quarter on the way to a 33-20 victory over No. 24 Oklahoma State in front of 55,552 Tuesday in the Alamo Bowl.

After a low-scoring first half, Purdue (9-3) pulled away from underdog Oklahoma State (8-4) in the third quarter, extending a 10-6 lead to 30-13 with 3:52 left in the period.

Dicken completed 18 of 34 passes, including two touchdown passes and three interceptions. His 325 passing yards set a record for the five-year-old Alamo Bowl.

It also was the highest-scoring Alamo Bowl game.

“If guys want to be part of a high-powered offense, this is the place to come,” Dicken said. “It’s exciting.”

Purdue opened the second half with a touchdown after gaining control of the ball when Adrian Beasley intercepted Tony Lindsay’s pass and ran 36 yards to the Oklahoma State six-yard line.

Dicken ran in from the one for a touchdown, and the Boilermakers led, 16-6, with 12:02 left in the third quarter. Shane Ryan’s point-after kick missed after the ball was moved back 15 yards because of a personal foul.

Oklahoma State sent backup quarterback Chris Chaloupka into the game on the next drive, and the Cowboys answered with a touchdown with 9:01 left in the quarter. Jamaal Fobbs ran the ball in from 21 yards, capping an 80-yard drive and closing the Cowboys to 16-13.

The Boilermakers then responded with a 60-yard pass play from Dicken to Ed Watson, which moved the ball to the Oklahoma State 16. Vinny Sutherland’s run from there gave Purdue a 23-13 lead with 7:34 left in the third period.

Purdue scored on its next possession on a 69-yard pass from Dicken to Chris Daniels, an Alamo Bowl record for longest reception. The touchdown gave Purdue a 30-13 lead with 3:52 left in the quarter.

The Boilermakers upped their lead to 33-13 early in the fourth with a 37-yard field goal by Ryan.

“It took the wind out of us,” said Oklahoma State coach Bob Simmons. “It hurt us mentally, and with a young team like ours it was hard to catch up.”

The Cowboys scored the final touchdown with only 55 seconds left in the game as R.W. McQuarters scored on a 17-yard pass from Lindsay.

Oklahoma State got on the scoreboard first with a 34-yard field goal by Tim Sydnes in the first quarter.

Purdue turned the ball over on its next possession when Kevin Williams of Oklahoma State intercepted Dicken’s pass in the end zone.

Beasley intercepted for Purdue two plays later, and the Boilermakers scored on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Dicken to Brian Alford to lead 7-3 with 1:19 left in the quarter.

The Cowboys moved to within a point of Purdue late in the second quarter on a 22-yard field goal by Sydnes.

A 42-yard field goal by Ryan 10 seconds before halftime made the score 10-6.