• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

After comeback win, Notre Dame hosts Purdue

Sep 26, 2006 - 10:30 PM Purdue (4-0) at No. 12 Notre Dame (3-1), 2:30 pm EDT

SOUTH BEND, Indiana (Ticker) - After a remarkable victory, No. 12 Notre Dame concludes a four-game run against Big Ten Conference opponents when it hosts undefeated intrastate rival Purdue on Saturday.

The Fighting Irish (3-1) routed Penn State here three weeks ago, 41-17, but then were crushed by Michigan the following week, 47-21. They appeared on the verge of a second straight defeat after falling behind Michigan State by as many as 17 points last Saturday but scored 19 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to post a 40-37 road win.

Brady Quinn kept alive his Heisman Trophy hopes by throwing five touchdowns. Terrail Lambert - burned by Michigan's Mario Manningham the previous week - picked off two late passes by Drew Stanton, returning one for the go-ahead touchdown with 2:53 left.

"As low as they were last week at this time, that's how high they are right now," Weis said after the win.

Purdue (4-0) opened Big Ten play with a 27-21 victory over Minnesota last week.

Curtis Painter completed 18-of-27 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns and Jaycen Taylor ran for 90 yards and a TD and caught what proved to be the winning score on an 18-yard reception with 10:52 left.

The Boilermakers could match their victory total of 2005 with a win. They are 4-5 against the Irish under coach Joe Tiller.

Purdue crushed Notre Dame here two years ago, 41-16, for their first win in South Bend since 1974. Notre Dame returned the favor with a 49-28 win in West Lafayette last year.