Central Michigan Life

Issue date: 12/12/07 Section: Sports

DETROIT - Purdue kicker Chris Summers converted a 40-yard field goal with two seconds remaining in regulation to beat CMU 51-48 on Wednesday in front of a bowl-record 60,624 people at the 11th annual Motor City Bowl in Detroit.

The play ended a thrilling second half in which the Chippewas fought back from a 34-13 halftime deficit to tie the game at 41 apiece by the end of the third quarter.

Coach Butch Jones called it "a heck of a football game" despite the loss.

"I am really proud of these kids," he said. "Obviously, it didn't turn out the way we wanted it to, but you saw something out there in these young men. They believed in each other. They fought to the bitter end."

The Chippewas began the comeback when freshman receiver Antonio Brown converted a short pass from sophomore quarterback Dan LeFevour into a 76-yard touchdown scamper to make the score 34-20. Purdue quickly answered when quarterback Curtis Painter threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jake Standeford.

Less than two minutes later, LeFevour connected with sophomore receiver Bryan Anderson for a 10-yard touchdown pass to shorten Purdue's lead to 41-27.

Two defensive stands, including an interception by freshman defensive back E. J. McLaughlin, allowed LeFevour to score two rushing touchdowns and tie the game.

"We did a much better job in the second half in tackling," Jones said. "I think that was the main difference."

Purdue broke the tie when tailback Jaycen Taylor ran for a 13-yard touchdown with 8:19 remaining in regulation.

With 1:09 remaining, LeFevour answered with his fourth touchdown pass, floating the ball to Anderson for a 19-yard play that tied the game at 48.

However, Purdue quarterback Curtis Painter completed four of his five passes on the following drive to set up Summers' kick.

Continued...

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