J. T. HEISMAN
QB’s Trophy-worthy game lifts Ohio St. past Penn St.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — In the tunnel at Ohio Stadium that leads from locker room to the field, J.T. Barrett was posing for pictures with friends, receiving handshakes and hugs and thanking one older man with a scratchy voice for screaming himself hoarse.
Barrett smiled and laughed. Apparently, the Ohio State quarterback even busted out some moves in the locker room celebration. The stoic fifth-year senior doesn’t show much emotion on the field. And if he gained any particular gratification from playing the best game of his decorated career seven weeks after many Buckeyes fans were wondering if he should be benched, he was not about to let on.
This is certain: When Barrett said goodbye to his friends and left the Horseshoe on Saturday night he did so as a Heisman Trophy candidate with absolutely nothing left to prove.
Barrett was near flawless against No. 2 Penn State, capping a brilliant performance with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Baugh with 1:48 left in the fourth quarter that gave No. 6 Ohio State a 39-38 victory.
Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer called it one of the best games he has ever seen a quarterback play.
“I’ve never had a kid play perfect, but damn he was close tonight,” Meyer said.
Barrett was 33-for-39 for 328 yards and four touchdown passes, three in the fourth quarter after the Buckeyes (7-1, 5-0 Big Ten) were down 35-20. He also ran for 95 yards on 17 carries. In the fourth quarter, he was 13-for-13 for 170 yards.
“We don’t care about what anyone else thinks about J.T. because we know what we think about J.T. and what he brings to the table,” said Terry McLaurin, who caught Barrett’s first TD pass of the game, which gave the quarterback 91 in his career to break Drew Brees’ Big Ten record.
Penn State led 38-27 with 5:42 left and it looked as if the Nittany Lions (7-1, 4-1) were going to knock the Buckeyes out of the College Football Playoff race.
“What was going through my head was Coach Meyer saying go win the game,” Barrett said. “He says that all the time, go win the game.”
Saquon Barkley, Penn State’s own Heisman candidate, scored two long touchdowns — including returning the opening kickoff 97 yards for a quick Nittany Lions lead. But Barkley was held to 44 yards on 21 carries — and that included his 36-yard scoring run in the first half. Instead, it was Barrett who surged into the Heisman race in what was billed as the Big Ten game of the year and lived up to the hype.
“I think the H-word is appropriate after today’s game,” Meyer said.
The Nittany Lions had trouble pass blocking Ohio State’s talented defensive line with Nick Bosa and Tyquan Lewis, especially after tackle Ryan Bates went out with an injury. On their final drive, quarterback Trace McSorley, who earlier passed for two scores and ran for another, got pressured on each play, was sacked once and threw three incomplete passes.
Barrett and the Buckeyes got the ball back down five with 3:20 left. They quickly marched to the 16 and then Barrett found his big tight end Baugh for the lead.
“I didn’t manage the game well,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. “There’s enough blame to spread around.”
The blackout crowd at the Horseshoe poured onto the field to celebrate after Barrett took a final knee. He calmly wandered through the mayhem.
Barrett had been the target for much criticism after the Buckeyes’ offense struggled in a September loss to Oklahoma. He said he just tried to get better. Barrett went 19 of 35 with no TDs and an interception against the Sooners. He looked like a different player Saturday, but he wasn’t buying that.
“When you say like I’m different I feel like I would have to be thinking different in order to feel different, but I really don’t feel any different because I’m thinking the same,” he said. “It’s not like I’m telling myself anything new.”