WEST LAFAYETTE — For weeks, Michigan football fans watched the Wolverines allow opponents to convert third downs at an alarming rate. Third and short, third and long — it didn’t matter.

Michigan’s first loss came to Michigan State, which converted four of 13 third-down attempts (30.8 percent). A week later, Michigan lost to Iowa, which converted seven of 13 third-down attempts (53.8).

And in perhaps the Wolverines’ most disappointing loss so far, Penn State converted 10 of 16 third-down attempts (62.5).

For comparison’s sake, Michigan — the fifth-best offense in the nation, in terms of total yardage —converts nearly 47 percent of third-down attempts.

But Michigan’s defense made a statement against Purdue on Saturday. The Boilermakers succeeded on just two of their 17 third-down attempts (11.8 percent). Though part of that was due to the rain and wind, which certainly didn’t help Purdue quarterbacks in those situations, the rest of the credit goes to the Michigan's defense’s ability to create pressure and tackle well.

“Our third-down defense was the best it’s been all year,” Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez said after the game.

Statistically, that was true. More important was the feeling that Purdue’s sputtering offense didn’t get anything going against a Michigan defense that made the key plays when it needed to.

“I feel like on third down we won,” redshirt sophomore linebacker Kenny Demens said. “All season long we've struggled with what went wrong on third down but we played with a little spark today.”

KERRIGAN'S RECORD DAY: Lost in Purdue’s inept and turnover-happy day on offense was the Boilermakers’ defensive playmaker’s big day.

Senior defensive end Ryan Kerrigan recorded 10 tackles, five tackles for loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in Saturday’s game. He now owns the Big Ten record for career forced fumbles (14) and has tied the FBS record.

Coming into the game, the Michigan offense had allowed just four sacks all year.

Michigan sophomore quarterback Tate Forcier called Kerrigan “a monster.” Rodriguez said his team had a hard time with him at various points throughout the game.

“He just plays his heart out every snap every day,” Purdue coach Danny Hope said. “NFL scouts come to practice, and they watch him, and they like him. Then they watch film on him all day long, and they like him even more because they realize he's got a great motor, a relentless effort.

“He's a very unselfish player. He plays for the team first. He plays inspired football. ... He deserves all the accolades and attention he's getting. He's definitely one of the best defensive players in the country.”

Even Michigan’s defensive players had nothing but praise for Kerrigan.

“I recognize a good game and he has a real good game,” Demens said. “He went out there and did his thing. He's just a great player. A lot of credit goes out to him on defense.”

KICKING THEMSELVES: After a missed field goal and a missed extra point, redshirt freshman Seth Broekhuizen lost his precarious hold on the kicking job.

Rodriguez said he would “probably” open up the kicking competition again, allowing redshirt freshman Brendan Gibbons another chance to win back the job he had at the start of the season.

“It was a disappointing day from that standpoint because (Broekhuizen) has been kicking great in practice,” Rodriguez said. “We’ve struggled all year, but he’s clearly the best one in practice. … We’ll see what happens this week in practice.”

Michigan kickers have made just four of 12 field goal attempts this season.