Penn State Football: 3 takeaways from victory over Michigan in Week 8

3. Barkley shines under the lights

Big-time players love the national spotlight.

Saquon Barkley is a big-time player.

After failing to eclipse the 100-yard mark in wins over Indiana and Northwestern on the ground, Barkley ran for 108 yards as the Nittany Lions squashed Michigan in Saturday’s prime-time affair from Happy Valley.

The junior broke the game open with a huge 69-yard touchdown run on the first series and never looked back. He also had 53 yards receiving as he continues to show why his skills are NFL-ready.

Barkley racked up 211 yards earlier this year in a night game as Penn State fought past Iowa for a 21-19 victory. He also had 172 yards on the ground in the season opener vs. Akron.

For the year, Barkley has 757 yards rushing with eight touchdowns, adding 32 catches for 448 yards and three scores in the passing game. Factor in his return plays and his ability to make the highlight-reel, and you can likely mail off an invite to New York City for the Heisman ceremony to Barkley.