Nick Singleton joins Penn State greats with long run in Rose Bowl
PASADENA, Calif. — Nicholas Singleton etched his name in the Penn State record book early in his collegiate career, and on Monday, that continued.
Ki-Jana Carter and Saquon Barkley had long touchdown runs in the Rose Bowl, and Singleton joined the group.
Early in the third quarter, Singleton burst through the offensive line, saw an open field in front of him and took off.
His 87-yard touchdown made the Nittany Lions faithful explode, and now he has a spot in Penn State immortality.
It was the third-longest run in Rose Bowl history. Carter’s 83-yard run in the 1995 Rose Bowl is the fifth longest, while Barkley’s 79-yard carry from the 2017 Rose Bowl is just outside the top five.
Barkley and Carter were first-round picks once they left Penn State, and while Singleton is just a freshman he appears to be on the same path.
His run will join the likes of Barkley and Carter in Penn State lore.
“Toward the end of the game, I kind of thought about it,” Singleton told the media Monday night after Penn State’s 35-21 win. “Everybody told me about it. Saquon, Carter, how they have good runs. It feels good.”
Singleton said he hadn’t checked his phone yet but expects a text from Barkley and Carter.
James Franklin said after the contest that the play was similar to something they used while Barkley was playing in the 2017 Fiesta Bowl.
“They were in cover zero, and we actually did a fake check where we were looking to the sideline and then snapped the ball,” Franklin said. “They were in a bear front, which I wouldn't say is the ideal front to run that play into, but once you crease them with Nick's speed, you're able to obviously make a huge play and swing the momentum in the game.”
Singleton has flashed his game-breaking speed all season long, and his touchdown on Monday came at a pivotal moment.
The Rose Bowl was the biggest stage the freshman played on, and with the two teams even at 14, he knew a big play was needed.
Shortly after the blue and white regained the lead, Utah quarterback Cameron Rising was knocked out of the game, and it never looked back.
“When you're playing a defense like that where it's hard to get yards, you're going to have a difficult time going on a 16-play, 80-yard drive against that defense,” Franklin said. “You're going to have to create some explosive plays.”
Singleton opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 5-yard touchdown out of the T formation.
He finished the game with seven carries, but he made the most of them by rushing for 120 yards and two touchdowns.
In the victory, Singleton eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards, the first Nittany Lion to reach that mark since Miles Sanders in 2018.
He also joined Barkley as the first Penn State true freshman to do it since Barkley back in 2015.
“I said before, and I'll say it again. Special. He got something that you can't teach,” Juice Scruggs said. “He's just an all-around football player, and I'm excited to see what he does next year and the coming years. I'm expecting big things from him.”
The blue and white struggled to run the ball in 2021, but the additions of Singleton and fellow true freshman Kaytron Allen have reignited the running back.
Allen also had a touchdown in the win, and the duo will be vital to Penn State’s future success.
Winning the Rose Bowl is the first step in what could be an extremely bright future for the program, and Singleton is a major piece in what’s to come.
“Nick's just a great running back. Y'all see what I see, explosive, unmatched speed,” KeAndre Lambert-Smith said. “The sky's the limit for him as long as he continues to put in the work, trust the process, and it's gonna play out how it's supposed to.”
Alex Rocco is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email alex.rocco1702@gmail.com.
