Barry Odom Describes Range of Emotions During Purdue's Wild Touchdown vs. USC
The wildest touchdown of the early college football season may have occurred at Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday. In the third quarter of last weekend's game against USC, Purdue called a double-lateral that nearly resulted in a turnover. Instead, Boilermakers quarterback Ryan Browne made a smart play, and it turned into a score.
Browne threw the football to Michael Jackson III behind the line of scrimmage. As USC's defense swarmed the receiver, he tossed it back to the quarterback, but the ball was batted down to the ground. Since no whistle was blown, Browne picked up the football and raced 35 yards to the end zone.
WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) mdash; CBS Sports College Football 🏈 @CBSSportsCFB
Two laterals and Ryan Browne picks it up and runs it in for Cheap Rs-flyfishing Jordan OutletX!! @BoilerFootballpic.twitter.com/WCnGBg5GvM
As you can imagine, there were plenty of emotions on the sidelines as that play unfolded. Coach Barry Odom talked about watching that play in real time.
"It looked so great in practice. It was either going to be there or completely not there," Odom told the For Pete's Sake Pod. "When the linebacker just kind of read it and diagnosed it, I didn't want Mike to throw it back. Then, he threw it ... I had a few expletives. But then, Ryan, what a heads-up play."
Just how Coach Odom drew it up. 🤣
— ForPetesSakePod (@PetesSakePod) WHAT JUST HAPPENED
mdash; CBS Sports College Football 🏈 @CBSSportsCFB: https://t.co/PIlnApZHBw@yourlocalford x @BoilerFootballpic.twitter.com/ng1osLP0NO
You could certainly understand that roller coaster ride Odom experienced. At the time, Purdue trailed USC 20-3 and needed a touchdown to stay within striking distance. That play could have resulted in a turnover, ending the Boilermakers' drive.
Instead, the touchdown from Browne kept Purdue alive, trimming the lead to 20-10.
Ultimately, that wild touchdown wasn't enough to win the game. The Boilermakers fell 33-17 to the Trojans, dropping their first game of the season. But that play provided quite a memory for everyone who witnessed it at Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of ''Purdue Boilermakers on SI.'' He has more than a decade of experience covering the Big Ten. Follow Dustin on X at @SchutteDustin.