UNIVERSITY PARK — After the blowout come the accolades.
Penn State running back Saquon Barkley and linebacker Jason Cabinda claimed Big Ten Player of the Week honors for their performances in the Nittany Lions’ 42-13 triumph over Michigan Saturday night.
Barkley earned the Offensive Player of the Week award for the third time this season, while Cabinda claimed his first career Defensive Player of the Week nod.
It’s the fourth time the Big Ten has given Barkley a weekly award; he was also voted Special Teams Player of the Week earlier this season. He’s won eight conference honors in all during his three-year career with Penn State.
Barkley was also added to the Paul Hornung Award weekly honor roll for the fourth time this season. That award goes to the most versatile player in major college football.
Against Michigan, Barkley racked up 176 all-purpose yards and scored three times. He had 108 yards and two TDs (including a 69-yarder on the game’s second play from scrimmage) on the ground, 53 receiving yards, and 15 yards on kick returns. Barkley broke Lydell Mitchell’s school record for career touchdowns, and has found the end zone in 14 straight games, which is the longest active streak in major college football.
Barkley is the first player in Penn State history to amass 3,000 career rushing yards and 1,000 career receiving yards.
Cabinda recorded 13 tackles against Michigan, including a pair of half-sacks and one tackle for loss. He also forced his second career fumble in the third quarters on a John O’Korn scramble. The 13 tackles were one off of Cabinda’s career mark of 14, which he has accomplished twice. The effort was his eighth career double-digit tackle performance.
The second-ranked Nittany Lions travel to No. 6 Ohio State Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on FOX.
