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As Notre Dame fans know all too well, Purdue games have a way of being wet—especially in the early ‘90s. For the third year in a row, the Irish met the Purdue Boilermakers on a rain-soaked field, and for the third year in a row, it was Purdue who left drenched in disappointment. Coming off a nail-biting win against Michigan State, the Irish needed to reassert themselves. And in a dominant 39–21 win on September 24, 1994, they did just that—thanks to a ground game that refused to be stopped and a fullback named Ray Zellars who ran like he was built from steel and stubbornness.
With over 400 yards rushing and multiple breakout performances, the Irish offense left little doubt about their firepower. Zellars, in particular, seemed determined to make a statement—especially with the media focused on Purdue’s Mike Alstott. His jaw-dropping 62-yard touchdown run, which included both a steamroll and a hurdle, remains one of the most electric moments of the Lou Holtz era. Kinder and Mosley added their own career-best performances, while Ron Powlus bounced back from a rough outing with improved decision-making and key completions. The defense forced critical turnovers, and though late-game lapses left Holtz grumbling, the win was convincing. And satisfying.
The following article, “Off and Running” by Jake Schaller, appeared in Volume 136, Number 12 of Scholastic Magazine, dated January 27, 1995, as part of the official 1994 Notre Dame Football Review. It captures all the grit, excitement, and redemption of that muddy Saturday in South Bend:
Off and Running
The vaunted Irish running game rolled over the hapless Boilermakers
by Jake Schaller
For the third straight year, Notre Dame and Purdue did battle on a soaked playing field, and for the third straight year, the, rain clouds rested mainly over the…
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Publish date : 2025-06-19 04:14:00
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