Saquon Barkley, Penn State
It’s tough to hate Saquon Barkley as a person, but it’s easy to hate him as a player because he looked like a man among boys when playing the Iowa football team.
Against the Hawks, Barkley had 2 of his top-10 rushing performances totaling 211 yards and 167 yards in two games and he also had a career-high in receiving yards.
He was too strong for our corners and way too fast for our linebackers.
In his sophomore season, Barkley rushed for 167 yards on 20 carries for an 8.4 yard per carry average and 1 touchdown. He also added 1 catch for 44 yards and 1 touchdown in Penn States decisive 41 to 14 victory.
His junior season, he managed to outperform even his high precedents. The #4 ranked Nittany Lions got all they could ask for in their visit to Kinnick during the 2017 season. Well, most of the Nittany Lions did besides Barkley who carved up the Hawks to the tune of 211 rushing yards on 28 carries and 94 receiving yards on 12 receptions.
Barkley’s 305 yards from scrimmage were more than the entire Iowa football team combined
Without Barkley, Penn State doesn’t win that game. Not a chance. He was the difference-maker in the Hawk’s last-second loss to the Nittany Lions, which is why he is the final player that we don’t like as Hawk fans.