On a critical fourth-and-four in the dwindling moments of Saturday’s contest, Northwestern had the chance to earn its first conference victory.
Instead, the same lack of discipline that plagued the Wildcats all game cost them a morale-boosting victory on parents weekend in Evanston.
Cam Ruiz had the opportunity to make a play on the ball and eliminate Purdue’s chance of extending its final drive, but instead, the defensive back made clear contact with the receiver and gave the referee an easy decision to make. With help from safety JR Pace over the top, the pass probably would’ve fallen incomplete had Ruiz refrained from grabbing on to the Boilermaker receiver.