WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — As Saturday afternoon's meeting between Illinois and Purdue dragged on, Ross-Ade Stadium's homecoming atmosphere became even more like a circus.

Blow-up dolls being thrown around. People being tossed around like blow-up dolls. A blow-up mascot bouncing around.

Two Boilermaker bands. About 64,000 raucous Boilermaker fans. Twenty-eight of the Boilermaker "One, two, three, four — first down!" chants.

And in the main act, uncountable reasons for all of these to erupt.

The Boilermakers tamed the Illinois defense into its worst performance of the year, and the Illini offense showcased its rarely-appearing act in a 43-10 beating from Purdue.

"Well, we got our butts kicked," Illinois head coach Ron Turner said.

So it wasn't a big surprise the fans needed something else to entertain them. The Illini fell behind 20-0 early and went into halftime with a 27-3 deficit, having gotten past their own 35-yard line just once for a field goal.

"We felt coming into it we had a really good plan in all phases, and I just wish we would have had an opportunity to see if that plan was good in all phases," Turner said. "We were physically dominated early, and never really got a chance to get into the game and find out if our plan was good."

What the Illini found instead was a 1-5 hole for the second year in a row. Saturday, they had all the same problems as their four previous losses — only this time it was worse.

Illinois put up a season-worst 191 yards of offense and made it into Purdue territory twice. The Illini put together virtually no rushing game, and quarterback Jon Beutjer had his worst passing game of the season by 100 yards.

"It was just hard for this team to get into a groove," Illini tailback E.B. Halsey said. "But we knew they were going to play really good defense today. We just couldn't execute. We couldn't get a rhythm."

The Illini defense, without senior tackle Jeff Ruffin, who stayed home with a knee injury, allowed Purdue a season-worst 533 yards. The Boilermakers didn't punt until 12 minutes into the third quarter.

And for the second week in a row, the Illini were torn up by an opponent's rushing game. Purdue sophomore running back Jerod Void led the 324-yard charge with 119 yards and four touchdowns of his own.

"If anybody on this team didn't expect them to run the ball, we would be kidding ourselves because we gave up so many yards last week, they're going to think it's a weakness. We just didn't play it well again this week," Illini linebacker Winston Taylor said. "That's the frustrating part, we're preparing well. When it comes crunch-time, we're not going out there and playing like we know how to play. We don't know how to fix it.

"I don't know if I'm supposed to say this, but I don't think we've played a team that's better than us. I don't think their running games are as good as they appear. We're not doing what we need to do."

As they sit at the midpoint of the year needing to win every game left to nab a winning season, many in the Illini ranks seem uncertain what they can do to stop from flying any more out of control.

Turner said Saturday that the Illini "work their butts off" but still can't seem to get into games. He said they're looking at some personnel changes but "there's only so much we can do." He said they could step up the physicality in practice but is afraid the team is "getting worn."

About the only thing Turner could say with certainty is that he believes in his system and his players. And despite his team serving as a Big Ten whipping boy for the second week in a row, he believes the players' positive attitude won't disappear.

"I don't think they'll give up," Turner said. "These guys have got great character and a lot of pride. We have too many good leaders — I don't think they'll let that happen. We'll just have to hope that we're good enough physically to overcome it, but mentally and emotionally, I think this team will keep fighting."