It was a less than exciting first half with only seven points being scored and even the touchdown was scored with just two minutes to go in the first half. Wisconsin would move the ball into Purdue territory on its opening drive, but would be forced to punt. The best drive by the Boilermakers in the first half would end in a Starks interception. Purdue would drive 40 yards in seven plays. Orton would throw for 54 yards on the drive (Purdue was whistled for 15 yards in penalties). But on the seventh play, Orton would be hit as he threw and the ball floated into the arms of Starks.
Wisconsin would go on back-to-back three-and-outs, but luckily for the Badgers, their defense would hold down the high-powered Boilermakers offense. With six minutes left in the first half, the Badgers would start a drive that would end with the first points of the day. Anthony Davis started off the drive with a 33-yard gain off right tackle to move Wisconsin into Purdue territory. The Badgers would convert two third downs on the drive, both on 14-yard completions from Stocco to a wide receiver named Brandon (White and Williams). The conversions moved the Badgers to the Boilermakers 8. Two plays later, Davis found a hole on the right side and would score from six yards out to score the first points of the night.
Purdue would try to respond at the end of the half. The Boilermakers would get a big kickoff return by Jerome Brooks of 66 yards down to the Wisconsin 32 with a minute and a half remaining in the first half. However, the threat went away as on the first play following the kickoff return, as Wisconsin’s Jamal Cooper sacked Orton and forced him to fumble. Cooper also recovered the loose ball for the Badgers. The score would remain 7-0 the rest of the half.
Somebody woke up Purdue’s offense at halftime. After back-to-back punts, Purdue would start its second drive of the half at its own 18. The Boilermakers would drive the 82 yards in 11 plays. Purdue would use a mix of short passes and runs to drive down the field. Only one play of the 11 went for more than 10 yards. Orton went 4-of-5 on the drive for 30 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown pass came on an Orton pass to a wide open tight end Charles Davis on the left side of the end zone to tie the game up.
It would look like Wisconsin would answer right back. A pass from Stocco to Owen Daniels for 17 yards and a pass to Darrin Charles for 25 yards put the ball at the Boilermakers 34. The Badgers would pick up one more first down, but then would go backward. On 3rd-and-19 from the 32, Stocco threw over the middle and it was picked off by George Hall, who returned the ball 44 yards to the Badgers 36.
Purdue would pick up a first down by a penalty that would move the Boilermakers to the 21. However, the Badgers would hold the Boilermakers offense to a field goal by Jones and Purdue took the 10-7 lead early in the fourth quarter.
The Badgers would go on a three-and-out and the Boilermakers would make it three consecutive drives with points. This would be a drive that was dominated by the running game for Purdue. Orton only threw one pass on the drive, and it was a 23-yard toss to Taylor Stubblefield to move to the Badgers 20. Brandon Jones would carry the ball six times on the nine play drive for 29 yards. On 2nd-and-Goal, Purdue thought it had the game won. Orton rolled to the right and tucked it and ran. He had all kinds of running room and could have moon walked his way into the end zone. The Badgers had not done much all half, so Wisconsin was basically left for dead after the Boilermakers took a 17-7 lead.
All of a sudden, something clicked for the Badgers offense. Wisconsin would just need a little more than two minutes to drive 73 yards to cut the deficit to 17-14. Stocco would go 6-for-7 for all 73 yards on the drive. Three of the six passes went to Brandon Williams for 44 yards. However, the touchdown was a pass to Booker Stanley from seven yards out. Stocco was looking into the end zone, but would drop it off to Stanley and he would run it the rest of the way for the score.
Purdue would get the ball at its own 17 with five and a half minutes remaining. Just a couple first downs would wrap up the game. The Boilermakers would face two third downs on the drive. On the first one, Orton would rush for five yards for a first down. Jerod Void would rush for seven yards in two plays to set up a 3rd-and-3. Wisconsin would take a timeout with 2:49 remaining. If Purdue were to pick up a first down, the game is pretty much over. That would set up one of the most remembered plays in Wisconsin history.
On the third down play, Orton would take the snap and roll out the right on the bootleg. He would run and pick up the first down with a yard to spare. However, instead of sliding to make sure he would not get hurt and/or turn the ball over, Orton would be helicoptered by a pair of Badgers defensive backs. It was Starks who tackled Orton down low and Robert Brooks up high. When the Purdue quarterback was up in the air, the ball was hanging in Orton’s right hand and it would come loose before he hit the ground. With the ball on the ground, Starks got up and picked up the loose football and raced 40 yards for the score. The extra point would be blocked by Bernard Pollard, so the Badgers would only be up by a field goal.
The Badgers would win two more games to start 9-0, but in the Purdue game, star defensive lineman Erasmus James was injured and would not play as well as he did prior to the injury. After the 9-0 start, Bucky lost his final three games of the season to finish 9-3. But the poor ending to the season does not take away from how great this ending was as it takes its rightful spot at No. 3 on this list
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