Penn State Football: 3 bold predictions vs. Georgia State

3. Saquon Barkley rushes for 200 yards on only 14 carries

In the first two games of the 2017 season, junior running back Saquon Barkley rushed the ball 28 times for 260 yards on an astonishing 9.3 yards per carry.

In addition to his impressive rushing statistics, Barkley also recorded seven receptions for 99 yards and four total touchdowns in his campaign for the 2017 Heisman Trophy.

And in Week 3, Barkley could take the next step in building this statistical portfolio.

Related Story: Penn State Football: Comparing Saquon Barkley to recent 1st-round RBs

In Georgia State’s Week 2 game against Tennessee State, the Panthers’ defense gave up 238 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 42 carries.

While the Tigers’ trio of running backs did put up impressive individual numbers, none possess the phenomenal athletic abilities of Barkley, considered by many to be a generational talent at the running back position.

Barkley’s unique combination of size, speed and strength is virtually unmatched by any player in the nation, and his nose for the end zone makes him a home run threat on any given play.

And while Barkley surely won’t play the entire game, as Penn State is expected to defeat Georgia State by a handsome margin, he should be able to take advantage of whatever carries he does receive and deliver a huge performance in front of his home crowd.

In only 27 games as a Nittany Lion, Barkley has already amassed 2,832 rushing yards, only 1,100 yards away from becoming the all-time leading rusher in Penn State history, a title currently held by Evan Royster who rushed for 3,932 yards over his four seasons — and 50 games in Happy Valley.

While recording 1,100 yards in 11 games shouldn’t be any trouble for a player of Barkley’s caliber, a huge 200-plus yard game against Georgia State should make a statement.