WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A few explosive plays in the waning moments of a 25-point blowout are typically met with a yawn, a shoulder shrug, and an "oh well." When Indiana State backup quarterback Brady Allen pulled the trigger and connected on a pair of deep balls in the fourth quarter, my first thought was, "uh oh."

The outcome wasn't in jeopardy when Allen struck gold on those two long pass plays — the first a 45-yard touchdown pass and the second a 55-yard strike to get to Purdue's 1-yard line. But those long connections indicated that the Boilermakers still have some significant gaps in the secondary; at least that's how it looked after the season opener.

One of Purdue's biggest issues during the 2025 season was its inability to eliminate big plays, especially through the air. Eliminating those explosive plays was a point of emphasis for head coach Barry Odom and defensive coordinator Kevin Kane during the offseason.

It didn't look that way on Friday.

Purdue's defense surrendered 10 plays of 10 yards or more to Indiana State in the season opener. The secondary allowed three passes of 40-plus yards. No other Big Ten team gave up more than one.

Yes, when Indiana State hit on two of those big plays, it was trailing by more than 30 points. It turned a 44-6 blowout into a respectable score on the Ross-Ade Stadium video board. The problem, though, is that Purdue still had starters on the field for both of those late-game tosses.

Starter John Slaughter and reserve Justin Denson Jr. got beat on the first ball: the 45-yard touchdown pass from Allen to Jayden Reed. Starters Jaden Mangham and Mister Clark were on the field for the 55-yard launch from Allen to Thomas Amankwaa.

Considering the time and score, it's possible that Purdue's defensive backs weren't as locked in as when the game started, but does that ease any concerns, either. Explosive plays crushed the Boilermakers last season, and if this year's team wants to have any success moving forward, it has to prevent other teams from striking gold on those long passing plays.

Indiana State converted early, too

It might be one thing if Indiana State's only success on big plays came in the fourth quarter. The Sycamores didn't score many points in the first half, but they were able to move the football against Purdue.

Quarterback Elijah Owens had an 18-yard run, then followed it up with a 17-yard pass to BJ Wuest on the first two plays of Indiana State's opening drive. Later in that possession, Owens connected with Redd for 24 yards on a 3rd-and-11 situation.

In the second quarter, facing a 3rd-and-9, Owens hit Tyler Nansel for a 41-yard gain to keep the Indiana State offense on the field. Both drives resulted in field goals.

Purdue's defense responded in the third quarter, forcing Indiana State into a pair of three-and-outs on its first two possessions. The Boilermakers took control of the game by outscoring the Sycamores 21-0 in that 15-minute stretch, and a Don Saunders pick-six on the first play of the fourth quarter was the icing on the cake.

Indiana State's big plays weren't soul-crushing for Purdue, but it does leave some questions about the secondary. If an FCS program — one that won just three games a season ago — can expose the Boilers' defensive backs, how much damage can the remaining 11 Power Four opponents do?

A Week 1 to Week 2 jump?

Coaches often use the same cliché early in the college football season. Most will say that the biggest jump in improvement is from Week 1 to Week 2. Purdue needs that tired phrase to transform into reality.

Wake Forest comes into Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday after putting up huge offensive numbers on Akron to open its season. Quarterback Gio Lopez threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. The Demon Deacons hit on three passing plays of 30 yards or more against the Zips.

The Deacs ran the ball extremely well, too. They ended the night with 203 yards on the ground, led by running back Ty Clark III, who needed just seven carries to amass 107 yards in a 38-16 win. Lopez also rushed for 39 yards.

Purdue is going to have its hands full trying to stop Wake Forest's offense.

There are always plenty of things to address after the first week of the season. Purdue's secondary isn't the only thing that needs to improve if this team wants to climb out of the basement this fall.

But among the list of things Odom and Kane need to address this week is the play of the secondary. The Boilermakers can't get burnt regularly on deep throws. They have to get off the field on third down.

Saturday is Purdue's first big test of 2026. We'll find out if the secondary has truly taken a big step forward, or if shades of last season start to reappear.

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