Penn State's annual Blue-White Game is typically a springboard into the following season. But for a brief moment Saturday, thousands of hopeful Nittany Lion fans were reminded of the past — and what now must be replaced.
Saquon Barkley. Mike Gesicki. DaeSean Hamilton. Marcus Allen. Jason Cabinda. The lifeblood of Penn State's return to prominence stood near the south end zone, honored with the rest of their former teammates as 2017 Fiesta Bowl champions.
Highlights from the Nittany Lions' 35-28 win over Washington played on the videoboard; Barkley's 92-yard touchdown drew the loudest cheers, naturally. But when each player's name bellowed through the Beaver Stadium speakers, the resulting applause was for more than just one game in the desert.