When Saquon Barkley and Penn State started the 2017 season, it seemed like a no-brainer that the star running back would be, at a minimum, in the Heisman Trophy conversation, if not a favorite to win.
Week after week, he had 90-some-yard kick returns, hurdled over opponents and seemed altogether unstoppable, accumulating more than 800 yards on the ground through September and October. He had three games with more than 100 rushing yards - he had 211 against Iowa - and was a solid extra hand for Nittany Lions quarterback Trace McSorley.