If you went to sleep early on Friday night, you missed a wild game. The Purdue Boilermakers were double-digit favorites on the road against the Nevada Wolfpack and seemed to have the game in hand after going up 31-14 midway through the third quarter. However, Nevada stormed back to tie the game with under a minute remaining and then had the chance to win it in regulation after a Purdue turnover gave the Wolfpack the ball with 38 seconds left. Kicker Brandon Talton’s aim proved true from 56 yards, setting off a wild celebration in Reno, but Talton won more than just the game.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES???#BattleBorn // #NevadaGrit pic.twitter.com/bdhm0qPAVn
— Nevada Football (@NevadaFootball) August 31, 2019
Fifth-year senior Spencer Pettit was expected to be Nevada’s kicker this season, but early on Friday, Wolfpack head coach Jay Norvell decided that Talton would be the team’s kicker for at least that night’s game. The unheralded freshman rewarded Norvell’s faith by knocking home all four of his extra points and hitting both of his field goal attempts. Afterwards, Norvell and the Nevada program showed their appreciation for the freshman walk-on by awarding him a scholarship.
It's a good night for @btalton111.#BattleBorn // #NevadaGrit pic.twitter.com/0IezKayVJs
— Nevada Football (@NevadaFootball) August 31, 2019
Nevada was expected to have a down year after losing most of its production from last season, but this win is a shot across the bow to the rest of the Mountain West. Purdue is seen as a program on the rise, and this is a big win for the Wolfpack.
As for Purdue, the Boilermakers are gutted following last night’s loss. They know they squandered away a victory with two Elijah Sindelar interceptions leading directly to two Nevada field goals, but they won’t find any respite with their schedule. The Boilermakers will host Vanderbilt and TCU the next two weeks before starting Big Ten play against Minnesota on September 28.
A win next week for the Wolfpack would put the program on the map. Nevada heads to Autzen Stadium to take on Oregon.
