Penn State RB Barkley expects to play in Big Ten title game

When Sojourn Shelton left Indianapolis in December of 2014, after a awful 59-0 loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game, the University of Wisconsin cornerback told himself he wouldn’t return to that city unless it was for the NFL Combine or another shot at a conference title.

“It’s nearly like pick your poison”, McSorley said.

“It affects how offenses are because they’re anxious about how many possessions they’re going to get, start to change how they call the game as well”, Franklin said Tuesday. “He’s going to do what he does”. Wisconsin defensive backs Leo Musso and Sojourn Shelton could force McSorley into some mistakes, which will be critical in such a low-scoring game. For all 14 soccer fans in the area, it also reminded me of Luis Suarez in the 2010 World Cup when he swatted away a sure-goal late in extra time of a tie game, was red-carded then watched from the tunnel as Ghana put the penalty kick over the crossbar and eventually lost in a shootout. Penn State lost at MI, 49-10.

Up by five points with seconds remaining in Sunday’s game against the Bengals, Baltimore coach John Harbaugh sent out his punt team like usual on fourth down deep in his own territory.

Taking a 17-7 lead into the second half, the Minnesota Golden Gophers just needed for Mitch Leidner not to have a quarterbacking meltdown that would make Wisconsin forget all about Late Career Playoff Brett Favre. The Hawkeyes began this season ranked and were as high as 13th before losing to FCS power North Dakota State in September.

Barkley didn’t find much room to work against the Spartans, finishing with just 14 yards on 12 carries against a Spartans defense that seemed created to limit his production. “It will be hard next week to please all the two-loss teams that get left out of the top four”, he said.

Penn State running back Andre Robinson darts past Michigan State defenders for a fourth-quarter touchdown at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa., on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2016. He can put the ball in the endzone, and he knows what it takes to win football games.

Penn State’s explosive offense with 16.2 yards per completion will meet Wisconsin’s swarming defense, a group that has an FBS-best 21 interceptions.

“He looks to me like he loves playing the game”, Chryst said.

The Spartans moved against Penn State’s defense until they pushed into the red zone. With the scarlet and gray coming out on top in the double-overtime instant classic, the game will be remembered forever when anyone around the college football world thinks of the storied rivalry.

MI had just two turnovers on the day (both interceptions), and Barrett and company were able to turn the two into 14 points, which all but decided the game in the end.

“I feel like that’s been flushed and forgotten”, Peavy said.

Franklin, who only confirms injuries if a player is out for the season, said he expects Barkley to practice and prepare as he would normally from the information he had at the end of the game.

One bit, though, would have to stand as a bit concerning as it heads into its first-ever Big Ten Championship Game in six days.

2 Ohio State (11-1) beat No. 3 MI (10-2) 30-27 in double overtime in Columbus, Ohio. Their chance to play spoiler was hindered by more injuries Saturday. Never lost a game like that before.

Either way, the Lions have three backup running backs who have shown they can compete in Barkley’s stead when he’s injured.

Ohio State was trailing by three points and faced a fourth-and-1 from the MI 16. A few days after the loss in Ann Arbor, athletic director Sandy Barbour pledged allegiance to Franklin, saying his job was not in jeopardy.

That’s absolutely the case with Penn State.