Sweet 16: Hypothetical 16-team College Football Playoff
By Brad Weiss
The rise of the Nittany Lions continued in the Elite Eight, as they punched their ticket to the Final Four with an incredible victory over the Washington Huskies. In a thrilling No. 5 vs. No. 4 matchup, the two quarterbacks put on a display, as they both staked their claim for inclusion in the 2017 Heisman Trophy discussion. Jake Browning and Trace McSorley combined for eight touchdown passes in the game, but in the end, this one was decided on a field goal.
In a matchup that refused to play any defense, the Huskies and Nittany Lions traded blows like two prized fighters. Browning and John Ross connected for two first-half touchdowns, matching the effort put on by McSorley and Chris Godwin. The X-factor in this game for Penn State was Saquon Barkley, who, like McSorley and Browning, would also like to be holding up that Heisman Trophy in New York City after next season.
With his team trailing by a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, Barkley put the team on his shoulders, carrying the ball seven straight times to set up a Penn State touchdown. While the score was a McSorley to Mike Gesicki five-yard strike, the entire drive was classic Barkley. Washington got the ball back with four minutes left in the game, but Penn State forced a three-and-out, which eventually led to a Tyler Davis field goal with no time remaining to give the Nittany Lions a three-point victory.