West Lafayette, IN - The Purdue Boilermakers spoiled the debut of Toledo head coach Tim Beckman with a 52-31 victory over the Rockets in West Lafayette on Saturday.

Purdue's offense racked up 535 yards of total offense, taking advantage of three Rocket turnovers and excellent field position to jump out to a 21-0 lead early in the game. Toledo's offense countered with 493 total yards, 423 in the air. The Rockets pulled to within a touchdown, 21-14, in the first half, but trailed at halftime 31-14. Two Purdue scores to start the second half put the game away.

The Rockets (0-1) were led by senior quarterback Aaron Opelt, set a school-record with 67 attempts; he also set personal best in completions (41) and passing yards (423), while adding three TDs.

Senior WR Stephen Williams led UT with 15 receptions, tying his career high, while adding a career-best 185 yards receiving and two TD grabs. Freshman WR Eric Page added 12 catches for 128 yards in his debut as a Rocket. Page's totals in both categories were the most ever by a UT freshman.  Senior DaJuane Collins led the ground attack with 27 yards and one score.

Junior defensive lineman Douglas Westbrook led the defense with two interceptions, the first two picks of his career.

The Boilermakers (1-0) got out to a quick start when sophomore RB Ralph Bolden broke free for a 78-yard touchdown run on just the third play from scrimmage. Two possessions later, senior RB Jaycen Taylor broke a couple of tackles and bolted 43 yards to make the score 14-0 with 4:14 left to play in the first quarter. Purdue added another score on an 11-yard pass from Joey Elliott to Keith Smith to go up 21-0 early in the second quarter.

The Rockets rallied back with a pair of Aaron Opelt touchdown passes to pull within seven, 21-14, late in the second quarter. Freshman Eric Page took a short pass and broke away from three tacklers on a 34-yard score with 11:17 to play in the half. Less than six minutes later senior Stephen Williams caught a nine-yard TD pass and went up the middle for the score.

The Rockets had a great opportunity to even the score when junior defensive lineman Douglas Westbrook pulled in a deflected pass for the first interception of his career with 3:27 left in the half. But UT turned it right back over on an interception on a pass intended for Williams. Purdue scored on the very next play, a 24-yard pass from Joey Elliott to Keith Carlos.

Unfortunately, the Boilermakers weren't done as Carson Wiggs kicked a school-record 59-yard field goal with no time remaining to give Purdue a 31-14 halftimelead.  

Purdue scored on its first two possessions of the second half, on a one-yard run by Taylor and a 15-yard pass from Elliott to Antavian Edison.

Toledo's second half scores came on a five-yard run by Collins, a 48-yard field goal by senior Alex Steigerwald and a 42-yard pass reception by Williams. Steigerwald's field goal tied his career high set at Michigan last year.

The Rockets will try to bounce back in six days when they host Colorado in their home opener on Friday, Sept. 11 in a 9:00 p.m. game on ESPN.