WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Saturday’s effort by Northwestern senior Sam Simmons once again was marred by penalties and mistakes.

After recovering from a broken finger suffered on Sept. 22, the wideout had 168 receiving yards last week against Penn State. But when a fumble resulted in a Purdue touchdown on the second play from scrimmage, Simmons sat for the next 20 minutes.

While Walker has a tendency to bench any player who fumbles, he said Simmons’ lengthy sit was due to an undisclosed injury he sustained on the same play.

“I’m never going to berate a kid who has something like that happen to him,” Walker said. “I think he was a little hurt at that time, and that was keeping him out as much as anything.”

But the fumble wasn’t Simmons’ only disputed play. On a 3rd-and-9 from NU’s 19 early in the fourth quarter, Kustok found Simmons on a 10-yard slant. Simmons tripped, bobbled the ball and came up on his back with the ball in his lap.

Referees ruled the pass incomplete, and NU punter J.J. Standring booted the ball back to Purdue.

Sacking zak: Of all the challenges NU quarterback Zak Kustok has had to take on this season — compensating for a struggling running game, carrying the preseason favorite label, deflecting attention away from Damien Anderson — he appeared to struggle the most with getting his warmup jacket on after Saturday’s 32-27 loss to Purdue.

Kustok took some of his hardest hits of the season against the Boilermakers defense, which sacked him four times. Midway through the season, all of the shots finally seemed to be taking their toll on the signal-caller.

With running back Damien Anderson largely neutralized this season by opposing defenses, Kustok has had to shoulder much of the offense, becoming the target of an increasingly aggressive blitzing campaign.

One hard hit may have made the difference in Saturday’s outcome.

Trailing 22-20 after a 1-yard touchdown run by Anderson, the Wildcats opted to attempt a two-point conversion to tie the game in the third quarter. But before Kustok could even get the ball off, he was buried by Purdue tackle Matt Mitrione.

Instead of tying the game for the first time since the opening five minutes, the Cats went into the final frame trailing by two, a deficit that grew only larger.

King kunle: Despite the Cats’ loss, NU wideout Kunle Patrick had a banner day.

Patrick’s six catches for 44 yards were second on the team to Jon Schweighardt’s 79 yards. But Patrick netted 20 rush yards on two carries and scored two touchdowns — including the wild fumbleruski that gave the Cats their first score.

“The defense isn’t prepared for us to come out in that formation and Kunle sneaks around the other side,” Kustok said. “It’s one of those plays that you run throughout the year, and it worked successfully.”

Boosting the Cats offense, Patrick managed play after play to gain yards after the catch — boasting moves that outdid even Simmons.

injury update: Fullback Gilles Lezi suffered a fractured right fibula that will end his season. The sophomore went down late in the first quarter while playing special teams.

The Cats had another scare when starting tackle Mike Souza left the game briefly in the second half, limping off the field and favoring his left leg. Backup Derek Martinez filled in for Souza, but the senior returned to the game.

INCHES TO GO: The Wildcats hadn’t lost two straight games since Nov. 20, 1999. … Notre Dame transfer Jovan Witherspoon was on the field briefly Saturday for the first time in a Big Ten game, although he didn’t touch the ball. … With a third-quarter strike to Jon Schweighardt, Kustok extended his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown pass to 20.