Iowa ended No. 3 Penn State's bid for a national title during the 2008 slate and opened the door for the Nittany Lions' Big Ten title run last season by taking down No. 3 Michigan.
"I was at the game a few years ago when Elliott and Barkley shared the same field," the fifth NFL executive said. "As impressive as Elliott was, Barkley was the better player. They have similar skill sets but Barkley is better in every area."
Ahead of the upcoming nine-game conference slate, we took a glimpse at each of the opponents on Penn State's schedule and how much of a threat they'll be to derail the Nittany Lions hopes of another Big Ten title and possible College Football Playoff run.
Some fans disagree with James Franklin's decision to use Saquon Barkley as his team's primary kick returner -- but there's no denying its effectiveness. See how three comparable NFL running backs fared in similar situations.
There's a fifth, unwritten core value Franklin refuses to let his players forget: Get a good night's sleep.
"I tell all the running backs, if you get in the open field, I'm coming to get you." Brandon Polk speaks about his positive attitude during Tuesday's media availability.