Saquon Barkley, now the main attraction, reflects on 2015 Ohio State contest as an up-and-comer

As a wide-eyed true freshman slowly wandering the Ohio Stadium field, Saquon Barkley found Ezekiel Elliott and shook his hand seconds after his fifth career game with the Nittany Lions.

Barkley — who was the better back on Oct. 17, 2015 — still fondly remembers that game, one in which he played against two Buckeyes he watched highlight tapes of back in high school.

“That was my freshman year, and I was a young guy,” Barkley said Wednesday with a boyish smile. “I was kind of in awe of being on the field with Braxton Miller and Zeke Elliott.”

On Saturday, it’ll be 742 days since Barkley racked up 194 yards as a freshman at The Horseshoe. He’s come a long way since.

When Barkley and the No. 2 Nittany Lions visit No. 6 Ohio State, he won’t be the up-and-coming freshman. In a twist, that role belongs to Buckeye starting back J.K. Dobbins. Instead, Barkley is filling the shoes of Elliott. He’s the main attraction, the Heisman Trophy contender and the focal point of an offense that’s a well-oiled machine.

Barkley’s not the same guy he was the last time Ohio Stadium saw him. Not even close.

“I’m a lot smarter of a football player,” Barkley said, when asked about the difference between his game in 2015 and 2017. “Understanding the game, understanding situations, understanding the playbook, blitzes and all that. I just became and have developed into an all-around player who can do it all — whether it’s special teams, blocking or making the catch.”

At the time, though, that 2015 performance was an important one for Barkley.

He ran for 115 yards in a Week 2 win over Buffalo and racked up 195 against Rutgers seven days later. The then-freshman managed 62 yards against San Diego State, but was banged up and missed the two games prior to Penn State’s showdown in The Shoe.

Akeel Lynch started against the Buckeyes — but he had two carries on the first drive and after that, his day was pretty much done. Despite Penn State’s loss, it quickly became the Barkley show.

“A lot of those guys, you look back on it that year, three of those guys were taken in the first round, 11 of them got drafted,” Barkley said of Ohio State’s defense. “We were able as a team to have success in the running game. That definitely boosted up my confidence a lot.”

It showed, too, as Barkley tallied 508 rushing yards and four touchdowns in his final six games of 2015.

After the Nittany Lions’ trip to Columbus, Lynch didn’t start a game for the rest of the season. Barkley became the guy.

And two years later, here we are.

Barkley’s ready for his triumphant return to Ohio Stadium, where his run to greatness was in its infancy, where he made a lasting impression in front of 108,423 fans.

After falling by four touchdowns in 2015, a matured Barkley and the Nittany Lions are seeking a different result Saturday.

“What I remember about that game is that obviously we lost,” Barkley said. “It was a Blackout. The Ohio State fans there were amazing. The stadium is amazing there. It’s going to be fun challenge. It’s going to be exciting, and I think we’re all ready to step up to that challenge.”

This story was originally published October 25, 2017 at 9:11 PM with the headline "Saquon Barkley, now the main attraction, reflects on 2015 Ohio State contest as an up-and-comer."