Big Ten Football Heisman Contenders: Week 4 edition

Sep 19, 2015; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs with the football during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

From a bottom-dweller’s star running back to the lethargic Penn State team’s star freshman halfback. Saquon Barkley may be the only bright spot the Nittany Lions’ offense has seen this year while junior Christian Hackenberg looks like he’s getting quarterback advice from Tim Tebow.

Must Read: Spartan Avenue’s College Football Rankings: Week 4

The struggles of Hackenberg have carried over to the rest of the team as stud sophomore wide out DaeSean Hamilton has been doing next to nothing stat-wise this season and the offense is one of the worst in the Big Ten.

However, you can leave Saquon Barkley out of that ‘struggling’ conversation as the first-year back came out of high school as the No. 6 running back in the nation and a top-100 player, according to 247Sports.

Barkley has already proved that those rankings were legitimate as the former four-star has led the team in rushing with 311 yards and three touchdowns on just 34 carries.

Oh yeah, and he only had one rush in the first game of the season against Temple.

Penn State has scored eight touchdowns all season and Barkley has three of them — basically in two games. He has lived up to the hype and his lofty 9.1 yards per carry average is something out of a video game.

Expect this kid to get plenty more touches as the season wears on and contend for Big Ten Freshman of the Year — or heck, even a Heisman candidate based on how well Penn State does from this point on.

Next: 5. Aaron Burbridge, Michigan State