College Football Rankings 2017: Projected Top 25 after Week 1

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Bo Scarbrough #9, head coach Nick Saban, and Jalen Hurts #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrate with the Chick-fil-A Kick-Off Game trophy after defeating the Florida State Seminoles 24-7 in their game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /

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Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State Nittany Lions

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA – SEPTEMBER 02: Saquon Barkley #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions returns a kickoff return during the second half against the Akron Zips on September 2, 2017 at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. Penn State defeats Akron 52-0. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /

5. Penn State Nittany Lions

Ranking coming into Week 1: No. 6

Nittany Lions star running back Saquon Barkley didn’t touch the ball on Penn State’s first offensive drive of the season on Saturday afternoon against Akron and it ended with Trace McSorley throwing an interception in the red zone.

That’s what happens when Saquon Barkley doesn’t touch the football.

After that drive that ended with a McSorley pick, Barkley rushed 14 times for 172 yards and two touchdowns in a 52-0 beatdown of the Zips by the Nittany Lions.

See what happens when you give Saquon Barkley the football? Good things happen.

Penn State was the hottest team in America to close out last year before a heartbreaking defeat in one of the best Rose Bowl matchups ever, but they returned virtually everyone on both sides of the football from last year’s team that won the Big Ten Championship game against Wisconsin and almost took a spot in the College Football Playoff last season.

The Nittany Lions still have a few challenges in front of them in the Big Ten West Division this season, but with Trace McSorley and Saquon Barkley in the backfield, this team can hang with anyone in America.

Their in-state rivalry meeting with Pitt awaits Penn State last week and after last year’s 42-39 loss early in the season that contributed in keeping the Nittany Lions out of the playoff, you can expect a hungry PSU bunch next week.

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