Bracketology: Penn State’s Best Running Backs - the Finals

This humble blogger messed up. The finals were supposed to post last week, with the winner announced this week. But circumstances abound, and that deadline was missed. So, here we are in game week, still voting on the best running back in Penn State history - with the announcement of the winner coming next week.

Holy upset, Batman.

Curt Warner, who held the career rushing yardage for many, many years until Evan Royster overtook him, took down PSU’s only Heisman winner, John Cappelletti - and it wasn’t particularly close. Warner, part of the first Nittany Lion squad to win a national title, was undoubtedly one of the best running backs of all time in Happy Valley, and his legacy is still remembered - as evidenced by his appearance in the finals.

But recency bias is a real thing. Is Saquon Barkley one of the best running backs in PSU history? Undoubtedly. The best? That’s yet to be determined. He beat a very worthy opponent in the undefeated (as a junior) and electrifying Ki-Jana Carter, and now goes up against a player who, technically and biologically, could be his grandfather. Wow.

This one’s for all the marbles, guys.