The last three teams ranked inside the top five when they visited Kinnick Stadium to play the Iowa Hawkeyes departed as upset victims.
Penn State nearly became the fourth straight team to suffer the same fate. But Nittany Lions running back Saquon Barkley put together a record setting performance that helped PSU escape a big-time upset bid.
Barkley posted a school record 358 all-purpose yards on 43 touches to earn the Uplifting Athletes Rare Performance of the Week.
On a night when the Penn State offense ran 99 plays from scrimmage, Barkley led the Nittany Lions in rushing and receiving with 214 yards on the ground on 28 carries with a touchdown. He also had 12 receptions out of the backfield for an additional 94 yards.
Barkley, who is a legitimate contender for the Heisman Trophy, also returned three kickoffs for 53 yards and averaged a staggering 8.3 yards per touch.
Previous Player of the Week Winners
Week 1: RB Josh Adams, Notre Dame
Week 2: QB Ryan Finley, NC State
Week 3: QB Trace McSorley, Penn State
Pingback: Weekly Update: Signature ACC road victory for NC State and Touchdown Pledge Drive continues – Uplifting Athletes
Pingback: School and ACC record 17 receptions propels Syracuse WR Ervin Philips to Uplifting Athletes Rare Performance of the Week – Uplifting Athletes
Pingback: Princeton Tigers QB Chad Kanoff continues assault on school passing records to earn Uplifting Athletes Rare Performance of the Week – Uplifting Athletes
Pingback: Syracuse QB Eric Dungey cracks Clemson defense and steers Orange to huge upset victory to earn Uplifting Athletes Rare Performance of the Week – Uplifting Athletes
Pingback: Princeton WR Jesper Horsted lights up Harvard with 246 yards receiving and throws a TD pass to earn Uplifting Athletes Rare Performance of the Week – Uplifting Athletes
Pingback: Northwestern QB Clayton Thorson delivers for the Wildcats in triple OT upset of Michigan State and earns Uplifting Athletes Rare Performance of the Week honor – Uplifting Athletes
Pingback: Penn QB Will Fischer-Colbrie delivers in the clutch in come-from-behind victory over rival Princeton to earn Uplifting Athletes Rare Performance of the Week – Uplifting Athletes
Pingback: Syracuse Chapter President and QB Zack Mahoney delivers on short notice with 384-yard outing to earn Uplifting Athletes Rare Performance of the Week – Uplifting Athletes
Pingback: Florida State senior walk-on wide receiver Justin Motlow leaves his mark with touchdown catch and makes history to earn Uplifting Athletes Rare Performance of the Week – Uplifting Athletes
Pingback: Penn State QB Trace McSorley’s and Northwestern RB Justin Jackson’s Big Ten records earn shared Uplifting Athletes Rare Performance of the Week honor – Uplifting Athletes