[North Woods]

True, his averages looked much better comparing those games. Total isn't hugely different -- 108 vs. 94 -- but that was on far fewer carries.

Really the difference comes down to Barkley's first run of 69 yards. Absent that, his average would have been a pedestrian 2.6 YPC. Then again 1) he should get credit for his long runs (just like Love does) and 2) this shows how easily statistics can be distorted, particularly from a small sample size. We (and voters) should judge over the course of a season and not any single game, even against a top school.

BTW here are updated odds to win:

Barkley 4/7; Love 2/1; Barrett & Mayfield 10/1; Rudolph 20/1; Jackson 25/1; Adams 40/1; Hurts 50/1; Dobbins 60/1

[North Woods]

True, his averages looked much better comparing those games. Total isn't hugely different -- 108 vs. 94 -- but that was on far fewer carries.

Really the difference comes down to Barkley's first run of 69 yards. Absent that, his average would have been a pedestrian 2.6 YPC. Then again 1) he should get credit for his long runs (just like Love does) and 2) this shows how easily statistics can be distorted, particularly from a small sample size. We (and voters) should judge over the course of a season and not any single game, even against a top school.

BTW here are updated odds to win:

Barkley 4/7; Love 2/1; Barrett & Mayfield 10/1; Rudolph 20/1; Jackson 25/1; Adams 40/1; Hurts 50/1; Dobbins 60/1