A sea of black and gold

WEST LAFAYETTE -- The scene at Ross-Ade Stadium was enough to make a diehard Indiana fan sick.\nThe stands were flooded with 69,104 fans, most of whom were dressed in Black and Gold. Fans waved towels saluting Purdue star quarterback Drew Brees throughout the game.\nAfter Purdue defeated IU 41-13, fans covered the field with roses and started planning trips to Pasadena, Calif., as the Boilermakers earned their first trip to the Rose Bowl since 1967. \n"We have a team that will never be forgotten," said Purdue sophomore running back Montrell Lowe, who rushed for a career-high 208 yards.\nAfter the game, the Boilermakers received the Old Oaken Bucket, the Big Ten Championship Trophy and an official invitation to the Rose Bowl. While the Boilermakers celebration spread to the stadium's south end zone, a few feet away the Hoosiers were walking to the locker room with heads down. \nIU closed its 2000 season Saturday, finishing 3-8 overall and 2-6 in the Big Ten. Purdue edged Northwestern and Michigan for the conference title with an 8-3 overall record and a 6-2 record in the conference. \nThe Boilermakers' season isn't near completion. The team will spend next month preparing for its Jan. 1 game against Pac-10 champion Washington in the Rose Bowl. \n"This is by far the most incredible experience of my life," said Brees on the public address system during the celebration.\nOne of the reasons Brees bypassed last April's NFL Draft was to have a chance to play in the Rose Bowl. With one game remaining, Brees ranks in the top 10 of the NCAA's all-time total offense, passing yardage, completions and attempts categories. And he will be playing in a Rose Bowl.\nBrees completed 20-of-29 passes for 216 yards Saturday. Brees finished the season with 3,393 passing yards, 286 completions and 24 touchdown passes.\n"Drew did everything he could possibly do put this team in the Rose Bowl," Purdue coach Joe Tiller said.\nBut Tiller was probably just as important in securing Purdue's trip to Pasadena. \nTiller has guided the Boilermakers to bowl games in each of his four seasons. His record at Purdue is 33-15, making him a popular man on the Purdue campus. \nWhen Purdue athletics director Morgan Burke introduced Tiller during the postgame celebration fans started chanting "Joe, Joe, Joe."\n"To be a part of this is something special," Tiller said.