Penn State sophomore running back Saquon Barkley is electrifying. He’s never been more electrifying than on this 79-yard masterpiece of a touchdown run that gave Penn State its first lead of the Rose Bowl on Monday against USC.
What an incredible mix of patience, burst, and agility. There’s no way to game plan against someone who’s untouchable, and as Barkley darted left, right, and then straight ahead, he looked pretty close to untouchable. It’s a positively gorgeous run, and it comes during Penn State’s biggest game in years. This is football artwork.
The touchdown was Barkley’s second of the day, and it brought him to 14 carries for 155 yards against USC’s defense, which is pretty good in general and has been really good over the last two months.
Barkley is likely to be one of college football’s best players for at least another year, because he isn’t yet eligible for the NFL Draft. He’s a terrifying mix of speed, agility, and power, and he’s one of the biggest reasons Penn State won the Big Ten this year and should be in the neighborhood again next year. We’re lucky to watch him.