1985 Purdue Boilermakers football
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Record	5–6 (3–5 Big Ten)
Head coach	Leon Burtnett (4th season)
Offensive coordinator	Bob Spoo (1st season)
Defensive coordinator	Joe Tiller (3rd season)
MVP	Jim Everett
Captain	Jim Everett, Bob Ziltz
Home stadium	Ross–Ade Stadium
Seasons ← 1984 1986 →

1985 Big Ten Conference football standings
v t e	Conf					Overall
Team	W		L		T	W		L		T
No. 10 Iowa $	7	–	1	–	0	10	–	2	–	0
No. 2 Michigan	6	–	1	–	1	10	–	1	–	1
Illinois	5	–	2	–	1	6	–	5	–	1
No. 14 Ohio State	5	–	3	–	0	9	–	3	–	0
Michigan State	5	–	3	–	0	7	–	5	–	0
Minnesota	4	–	4	–	0	7	–	5	–	0
Purdue	3	–	5	–	0	5	–	6	–	0
Wisconsin	2	–	6	–	0	5	–	6	–	0
Indiana	1	–	7	–	0	4	–	7	–	0
Northwestern	1	–	7	–	0	3	–	8	–	0

$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

The 1985 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented the Purdue University in the 1985 Big Ten Conference football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Leon Burtnett, the Boilermakers compiled an overall record of 5–6 with a mark of 3–5 in conference play, placing seventh in the Big Ten. Purdue played home games at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Quarterback Jim Everett led the nation in total offense with 3,589 yards, which was also a program record, since broken by Drew Brees. Everett finished sixth in balloting for the Heisman Trophy.^[1]

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
August 31	7:30 pm	at Pittsburgh*	Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh, PA	ESPN	L 30–31	50,103
September 21	2:00 pm	Ball State*	Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN		W 37–18	63,162
September 28	12:30 pm	Notre Dame*	Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN (rivalry)	TBS	W 35–17	69,338
October 5	8:00 pm	at Minnesota	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Minneapolis, MN	TBS	L 15–45	59,503
October 12	2:30 pm	Illinois	Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN (rivalry)		W 30–24	68,837
October 19	12:00 pm	at No. 11 Ohio State	Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH	CBS	L 27–41	89,888
October 26	12:30 pm	Michigan State	Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN	TBS	L 24–28	67,660
November 2	2:00 pm	Northwestern	Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN		W 31–7	53,640
November 9	1:00 pm	at No. 9 Michigan	Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI		L 0–47	105,503	^[2]
November 16	2:30 pm	No. 5 Iowa	Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN	CBS	L 24–27	57,762
November 23	2:00 pm	at Indiana	Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN (Old Oaken Bucket)		W 34–21	51,752
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

^[3]

Personnel

1985 Purdue Boilermakers football team roster

Players

Coaches

Offense

Pos.	#	Name	Class
TE	`96`	Jack Beery
OL		Kieth Brown
OL		Bret Bunnel
WR		Rick Brunner
WR		Rodney Carter
OL		Mike Connors
OL		Bruce Crites
QB		Doug Downing
OL		Mark Drenth
QB	`11`	Jim Everett	Sr
RB		Walt Foster
RB		Tony Grant
WR		Steve Griffin
WR		Jon Hayes
QB		Jeff Huber
WR		Mark Jackson	Sr
RB		James Medlock
OL		Vince Panfil
RB		Bobby Pruitt
TE		Brad Schumacher
TE		Marty Scott
OL		Rick Skibinski
OL		Pat Snyder
OL		Todd Tyrie
WR	`43`	Ray Wallace

Defense

Pos.	#	Name	Class
DL		Don Baldwin
DB	`19`	Cris Dishman	So
DB		Marc Foster
DL		Kevin Holley
DL		Brad Hornor
LB		Matt Morgan
DL		Anthony Rose
LB	`48`	Fred Strickland	So
LB	`44`	Kevin Sumlin	Jr
DB		Damon Taylor
LB		Tony Visco
DB		Mike Weaver
LB		Merkle Williams
DB		Kennedy Wilson
DL		Derek Wimberly
DB	`26`	Rod Woodson	Jr
DL		Bob Ziltz

Special teams

Pos.	#	Name	Class
K		Jonathan Briggs
P		Ernie Schramayr

Head coach

Leon Burtnett

Coordinators/assistant coaches

Bob Spoo (OC)

Legend

(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible

Injured
Redshirt

Game summaries

At Pittsburgh

Purdue Boilermakers (0–0) at Pittsburgh Panthers (0–0)

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Purdue	10	0	14	6	30
Pittsburgh	7	14	0	10	31

at Pitt Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Date: August 31, 1985
Game time: 7:30 p.m. EDT
Game weather: Clear, 60 °F (16 °C)
Game attendance: 50,103
TV announcers (ESPN): Jim Simpson and Paul Maguire
^[4]

Game information

First quarter

PUR – Jonathan Briggs 21-yard field goal. Purdue 3–0.
PITT – Charles Gladman 5-yard run (Mark Brasco kick). Pittsburgh 7–3.
PUR – Jim Everett 6-yard run (Jonathan Briggs kick). Purdue 10–7.

Second quarter

PITT – Charles Scales 19-yard pass from John Congemi (Mark Brasco kick). Pittsburgh 14–10.
PITT – Clint Wilson 5-yard pass from John Congemi (Mark Brasco kick). Pittsburgh 21–10.

Third quarter

PUR – Steve Griffin 13-yard pass from Jim Everett (pass failed). Pittsburgh 21–16.
PUR – Ray Wallace 10-yard pass from Jim Everett (pass good). Purdue 24–21.

Fourth quarter

PITT – Charles Gladman 10-yard run (Mark Brasco kick). Pittsburgh 28–24.
PITT – Mark Brasco 43-yard field goal. Pittsburgh 31–24.
PUR – Ray Wallace 31-yard pass from Jim Everett (pass failed), 0:48. Pittsburgh 31–30.

Top passers

PUR – Jim Everett – 34/53, 398 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
PITT – John Congemi – 10/19, 110 yards, 2 TD, INT

Top rushers

PUR – Ray Wallace – 12 rushes, 59 yards
PITT – Charles Gladman – 24 rushes, 163 yards, 2 TD

Top receivers

PUR – Steve Griffin – 7 receptions, 102 yards, TD
PITT – Charles Scales – 3 receptions, 48 yards, TD

External videos
Television broadcast with Pittsburgh radio audio
Final Purdue touchdown and two-point conversion attempt

Ball State

Jim Everett 24/32, 340 yards

Notre Dame

Jim Everett 27/49, 368 yards

Illinois

Jim Everett 27/47, 464 yards

At Ohio State

Purdue Boilermakers (3–2) at #11 Ohio State Buckeyes (4–1)

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Purdue	0	10	10	7	27
Ohio St	14	3	7	17	41

at Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

Date: October 19, 1985
Game time: 12:00 p.m. EDT
Game weather: Overcast, 75 °F (24 °C)
Game attendance: 89,888
Referee: Otho Kortz
TV: CBS
Box Score

Game information

First quarter

OSU – George Cooper 4-yard pass from Jim Karsatos (Rich Spangler kick), 8:14. Ohio St 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 39 yards, 4:31.
OSU – Mike Lanese 12-yard pass from Jim Karsatos (Rich Spangler kick), 3:11. Ohio St 14–0. Drive: 7 plays, 64 yards, 2:56.

Second quarter

OSU – Rich Spangler 39-yard field goal, 13:32. Ohio St 17–0. Drive: 8 plays, 53 yards, 2:40.
PUR – Rodney Carter 15-yard pass from Jim Everett (Jonathan Briggs kick), 3:02. Ohio St 17–7. Drive: 11 plays, 95 yards, 3:42.
PUR – Jonathan Briggs 22-yard field goal, 0:01. Ohio St 17–10. Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 1:54.

Third quarter

OSU – Cris Carter 4-yard pass from Jim Karsatos (Rich Spangler kick), 9:37. Ohio St 24–10. Drive: 9 plays, 32 yards, 4:34.
PUR – Ray Wallace 8-yard pass from Jim Everett (Jonathan Briggs kick), 8:12. Ohio St 24–17. Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 1:21.
PUR – Jonathan Briggs 21-yard field goal, 2:25. Ohio St 24–20. Drive: 14 plays, 45 yards, 4:36.

Fourth quarter

OSU – Rich Spangler 30-yard field goal, 12:46. Ohio St 27–20. Drive: 11 plays, 67 yards, 4:39.
PUR – James Medlock 2-yard run (Jonathan Briggs kick), 8:35. Tie 27–27. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:11.
OSU – Keith Byars 1-yard run (Rich Spangler kick), 4:41. Ohio St 34–27. Drive: 9 plays, 55 yards, 3:50.
OSU – Keith Byars 9-yard run (Rich Spangler kick), 2:10. Ohio St 41–27. Drive: 5 plays, 48 yards, 2:02.

Top passers

PUR – Jim Everett – 35/55, 497 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
OSU – Jim Karsatos – 14/26, 174 yards, 3 TD

Top rushers

PUR – Ray Wallace – 3 rushes, 35 yards
OSU – Keith Byars – 23 rushes, 106 yards, 2 TD

Top receivers

PUR – Rodney Carter – 15 receptions, 190 yards, TD
OSU – Cris Carter – 4 receptions, 96 yards, TD

Mark Jackson – 6 receptions, 132 yards

External videos
Game highlights

Michigan State

Jim Everett 34/51, 315 yards

Northwestern

James Medlock 23 rushes, 129 yards

Iowa

#5 Iowa at Purdue

	1	2	3	4	Total
• Hawkeyes	7	17	0	3	27
Boilermakers	7	10	0	7	24

Date: November 16
Location: Ross–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana
Game start: 3:42 p.m. EST
Elapsed time: 3:17
Game attendance: 57,762
Game weather: 46 °F (8 °C), Cloudy, Wind WSW 23 mph (37 km/h)
Referee: Tom Quinn
TV announcers (CBS Sports): Brent Musburger, Ara Parseghian, and Pat O'Brien

Scoring summary

1	9:21	Purdue	Griffin 49-yard pass from Jim Everett (Briggs kick)	Purdue 7-0

1	0:08	Iowa	Ronnie Harmon 2-yard run (Rob Houghtlin kick)	Tied 7-7

2	14:02	Iowa	Hudson 1-yard run (Rob Houghtlin kick)	IOWA 14-7

2	9:53	Purdue	Medlock 1-yard run (Briggs kick)	Tied 14-14

2	5:55	Iowa	Hudson 1-yard run (Rob Houghtlin kick)	IOWA 21-14

2	1:30	Purdue	Briggs 37-yard field goal	IOWA 21-17

2	0:02	Iowa	Rob Houghtlin 33-yard field goal	IOWA 24-17

4	6:35	Purdue	Medlock 2-yard run (Briggs kick)	Tied 24-24

4	1:08	Iowa	Rob Houghtlin 25-yard field goal	IOWA 27-24

Jim Everett 23/32, 315 yards^[5]

At Indiana

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Purdue	10	21	0	3	34
Indiana	7	7	7	0	21

External videos
Purdue Jim Everett 70-yard TD pass to Rodney Carter (second quarter)

Awards and honors

Jim Everett, sixth in Heisman Trophy votinh

1986 NFL Draft

Main article: 1986 NFL Draft

Player	Position	Round	Pick	NFL club
Jim Everett	Quarterback	1	3	Houston Oilers
Ray Wallace	Running back	6	145	Houston Oilers
Mark Jackson	Wide receiver	6	161	Denver Broncos
Rodney Carter	Running back	5	146	Pittsburgh Steelers
Mark Drenth	Tackle	11	279	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Steve Griffin	Wide receiver	12	308	Atlanta Falcons

^[7]

References

^ "Purdue Boilermakers Football NCAA Records, Heisman Trophy Candidates :GoldFan.com". Archived from the original on May 10, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2008.
^ Tommy George (November 10, 1985). "U-M pooh-poohs Purdue". Detroit Free Press. p. D1.
^ "2022 Purdue Football Record Book" (PDF). Purdue University Athletics. p. 91. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
^ Gainesville Sun. 1985 Sep 01. Retrieved 17-Nov-2022.
^ "Iowa Wins, 27-24 on Late Field Goal". New York Times. November 17, 1985. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
^ "(none)". Gainesville Sun. November 24, 1985. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
^ "1986 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2007.

v t e Purdue Boilermakers football
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Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Chicago (defunct) Illinois Indiana: Old Oaken Bucket Notre Dame
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