Penn State Football: 5 reasons Nittany Lions will beat Washington in Fiesta Bowl

1. Saquon Barkley (duh)

No list of reasons for a Nittany Lions victory would be complete with Saquon Barkley. He is Penn State’s best player hands down and will be a big reason for a Lion victory.

While Barkley exploded in the first half of the season, he faded from the Heisman discussion in the latter half of the year. Regardless, he is still a force for the Nittany Lions. What looks to be his final collegiate game, expect Barkley to do what he does best on the big stage against a very good Husky defense.

Barkley may not be a factor in the running game though. The Huskies are stout along their front four, led by the huge defensive tackle Vita Vea. Penn State’s offensive line will have difficulty handling Vea, so look for offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne to get the ball in Barkley’s hands in other ways. Barkley had 594 yards receiving this year and three touchdown receptions.

Since it is the last game of the year, expect some wrinkles. Would not be surprised to see both Barkley and Tommy Stevens lined up as wide outs. The Washington defense will not be able to cover both of the dynamic athletes. Also could even see Barkley returning kicks again as he did earlier in the season. He has two kickoff returns for touchdowns this season.

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Barkley will want to go out with a bang and win one last game with his teammates before moving on to the NFL. Expect him to have a big day in the passing game and special teams.