{"id":542795,"date":"2016-10-30T01:46:17","date_gmt":"2016-10-30T05:46:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/?p=542795"},"modified":"2016-10-30T01:46:17","modified_gmt":"2016-10-30T05:46:17","slug":"no-24-penn-state-62-purdue-24-saquon-barkley-puts-on-another-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/news\/no-24-penn-state-62-purdue-24-saquon-barkley-puts-on-another-show\/","title":{"rendered":"No. 24 Penn State 62, Purdue 24: Saquon Barkley puts on another show"},"content":{"rendered":"

After an expected sluggish start, Saquon Barkley and Penn State lit up Purdue in the second half<\/h2>\n

After winning\u00a0a wild game last weekend against the Buckeyes, it was pretty much expected Penn State would do one of two things against Purdue. Either they would steam roll the Boilermakers on the road or win an ugly game. It turns out they did both.<\/p>\n

Penn State struck early with Saquon Barkley scoring a touchdown on the game’s opening drive, but Purdue would counter everything Penn State did in the first half. Penn State was forced to a pair of three-and-outs in the first\u00a0half, with each of those drives traveling in the opposite direction. Tied at 17-17 at halftime, it sure looked like we had an ugly game on our hands. The second half would be quite a different story, serving up the blowout to satisfy the other likely\u00a0outcome of the game presented earlier.<\/p>\n

Penn State’s defense, which had been sluggish in the first half, came up with a big play on Purdue’s opening drive of the second half. Brandon Smith picked off Purdue quarterback David Blough and returned it 22 yards to set Penn State’s offense from the Purdue 24-yard line. The spark was ignited, and Barkley got to work with back-to-back nine-yard gains, followed by a five-yard run to the one -yard line. Trace McSorley then connected with Chris Godwin for a go-ahead score, and Penn State never looked back.<\/p>\n

Penn State’s special teams came up with a fumble recovery on a muffed punt return by Purdue the next time Penn State had the ball. This once again setPenn State’s offense at the Purdue 24-yard line, and Barkley once again ripped off a big run (20 yards) before Andre Robinson finished it off with a four-yard touchdown run. Penn State scored on each of their second-half possessions (if you count a muffed punt recovery as part of the same offensive possession). The offense was sizzling as it scored most points in a road conference game since joining the Big Ten in 1993.<\/p>\n

Among the highlights from the offense was an 81-yard touchdown run by Barkley early in the fourth quarter…<\/p>\n

\n

ICYMI: @saquonb21<\/a> takes the handoff, and, well, you know what happens next.<\/p>\n

TOUCHDOWN, @PennStateFball<\/a>! https:\/\/t.co\/CLXUl9KY30<\/a><\/p>\n

— Penn State On BTN (@PennStateOnBTN) October 29, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n