Penn State's Saquon Barkley snubbed from Heisman Trophy finalist list

Saquon Barkley won't get his moments to shine in New York City this weekend, after all.

The Penn State tailback was not one of three Heisman Trophy finalists picked to attend Saturday's announcement ceremonies.

Those selected Monday night were Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield — the prohibitive Heisman favorite — along with Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson and Stanford running back Bryce Love.

Jackson won the Heisman last year.

The last Nittany Lion finalist was tailback Larry Johnson, who finished third in the 2002 voting. Quarterback Michael Robinson finished fifth in 2005.

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Barkley did fade from the view in the second half of the season as he became the overwhelming focus of every defense.

At one point, though, he was the unofficial leader.

"I can't imagine there's another more dynamic player in the country than Saquon Barkley," head coach James Franklin said Sunday evening.

He torched the Iowa Hawkeyes for a school-record 358 all-purpose yards and two Heisman-like runs in a walk-off victory. The next week he returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and made a sensational one-handed catch-and-run.

In all, he rushed for 1,134 yards and 16 touchdowns and caught 47 passes for 594 yards and three more scores.

He returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and even threw for another.

Barkley has won the past two Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year awards and ranks second in the nation in all-purpose yardage (2,154). He also is a finalist for the Maxwell and Walter Camp awards as the national player of the year.

After the Maryland game, in which he was used as blocker and decoy as much as a runner, he talked about the Heisman Trophy. He said he would be honored to even be a finalist.

"One day you’re the greatest thing to walk this earth, and the next day people don’t even think you are a legit back," Barkley said. "That comes with the game of football. I’m just happy I’m surrounded with a great group of guys."