EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald will never complain about a win but said there is still plenty his team can clean up.

The 18th-ranked Wildcats broke a 14-all tie with running back Justin Jackson's late touchdown run in a 21-14 Big Ten victory over Purdue on Saturday.

"I'm never going to apologize for going 1-0 in a Big Ten game," said Fitzgerald, whose team improved to 8-2 overall and 5-2 in the conference.

"(But) we've got to be more efficient offensively. We had way too many one man breakdowns up front, we had too many holes and big seams where one guy was able to pick up our back which is unacceptable, and (we were) not consistent enough in our passing game."

Still the Wildcats' offense struck early and collected a game-winner late as Jackson scored on a two-yard TD run with 4:37 remaining.

Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson had back-to-back 16-yard scrambles on the 12-play drive to get the Wildcats to the Purdue 5-yard line and set up the score.

Jackson finished with 24 carries for a game-high 116 yards while junior Warren Long rushed for two touchdowns and 52 yards.

Bowl-bound Northwestern won its third straight while Purdue (2-8, 1-5) suffered its second consecutive loss and seventh in eight games.

Fitzgerald also found lots to like about the defensive effort, which allowed a score on Purdue's first possession and one more in the third quarter but denied scores after three separate turnovers.

"We use the analogy of being a fireman," he said. "When you turn the ball over there's a fire out on the field, and our guys have to go put it out. Our defense did that 100 percent today which was obviously the difference in the game."

Boilermakers quarterback David Blough was 26 of 45 for 287 yards and one touchdown while wide receiver Domonique Young caught five passes for 107 yards and a TD.

Purdue turned in an improved performance coming off last week's 48-14 blowout loss to Illinois.

"I thought we played tough," said Boilermakers defensive tackle Jake Replogle. "I was proud of our effort, and we were having fun most of the game. We were making plays, and that's what we need to be doing every week."

A vote of confidence for head coach Darryl Hazell from athletic director Morgan Burke may have also helped.

"He's able to see the daily progress that this football team is making," Hazell said. "I think it's important in every phase, not only recruiting (but) everything that we have going moving forward."

Long gave the Wildcats a 7-0 lead on their opening possession as he capped a 7-play, 75-yard drive with a 32-yard touchdown run.

The Boilermakers promptly replied after the Wildcats opening score with a 68-yard scoring pass play on first down from Blough to Young at the 12:03 mark.

Safety Traveon Henry's interception at the Purdue 41 led to Long's second touchdown with 7:40 remaining in the first half. The Wildcats moved 40 yards on five plays to set up Long's 1-yard plunge as Northwestern made it 14-7.

Purdue recovered a fumble at the Northwestern 38 but stalled at the Wildcat 23. A fourth-down end zone pass from Blough to DeAngelo Yancey was overthrown.

Blough's 29-yard pass to running back Markell Jones early in the third quarter and a roughing the passer penalty put the Boilermakers back in business at the Northwestern 2.

Jones took it from there with his short TD run to tie the game at 14.

The Boilermakers' bid for their first lead failed when kicker Paul Griggs missed on a 43-yard field goal attempt with 5:22 left in the third.

NOTES: Purdue faced a ranked Northwestern team for the first time since 2000 when the then-No. 21 Boilermakers beat the No. 17 Wildcats 41-28. ... Purdue RB Markell Jones entered Saturday fourth national among freshmen in yards per rush (5.51) and rushing TDs (seven). He broke Purdue's all-time true freshman rushing record with 157 yards at Michigan State on Oct. 3. ... Jones appeared to suffer a right knee injury with 7:16 left in the third quarter and did not return. ... Wildcat RB Warren Long doubled his season touchdown production with a pair of first half scores and now has four for the season and career. ... Northwestern RB Justin Jackson passed 1,000 yards on the season in the fourth quarter and passed Kain Colter (2010-13) for eighth all-time with 2,220 yards. ... Northwestern travels to No. 25 Wisconsin next Saturday while Purdue travels to No. 5 Iowa. The Wildcats are 1-2 against teams in the College Football Playoff rankings, with a win over No. 7 Stanford and losses No. 5 Iowa and No. 14 Michigan.