Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett Is The Best Story Of The College Football Season
By J.P. Scott
J.T. Barrett of the Ohio State Buckeyes is one of the best stories in college football this year.
When the month of August began, not many people outside of Columbus, Ohio had any idea who J.T. Barrett was. At the time, it appeared that Ohio State would be the Big Ten’s best chance of cracking the first ever College Football Playoff and Braxton Miller would be the guy who carried the Buckeyes there. When it was reported that Miller had injured his arm in practice and would be out for the season, most of the nation wrote the Buckeyes — and the Big Ten for that matter — off.
The only thing we really knew was that a freshman named J.T. Barrett was going to step in to replace Miller. Could the Buckeyes still put together a winning season? Would their vaunted defensive line be enough to carry them to a respectable bowl? These were some of the questions we asked as Barrett went under center and the season got rolling.
Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer rolled out what now looks like a conservative approach in the opener against Navy. Barrett was only asked to throw 15 times in a 34-17 win that was closer than the score would have you believe. In fact, Navy led Ohio State 7-6 at the half. This was not a good sign going forward.
A week later, the worst fears of Buckeye Nation were realized, as Ohio State dropped its home opener to Virginia Tech on the back of a 9-for-29 and three interception performance by J.T. Barrett. On the same day, Michigan State fell to Oregon. Now it was official. The Big Ten’s national title hopes — like Braxton Miller — were done for the season.
Nobody paid much attention the following week as the Buckeyes routed Kent State 66-0. During that game, Barrett tied an Ohio State record with six touchdown passes in the game. He tossed five of those in the first half.
Then it was on to the game against Cincinnati. There were whispers that the Buckeyes should be on upset alert against the Bearcats and that Cincinnati had a quarterback in Gunner Kiel who could do enough damage to pull off a win in Columbus. At the end of the day, Kiel threw for 352 yards and four touchdowns. It wouldn’t be enough, and J.T. Barrett was why. Barrett threw for 330 yards and four touchdowns of his own as Ohio State clobbered Cincinnati 50-28.
At this point, people began taking notice. Ohio State might have a legit star at quarterback, and his name was not Braxton Miller.
Ohio State reeled off two more 50-point performances over Rutgers and Maryland. Barrett tossed three touchdowns in each of those game and the Ohio State offense was rolling.
Barrett looked to have taken a step back in the next game at Penn State, throwing for only 74 yards and two interceptions. It was his legs, however, that were the difference in Ohio State’s double-overtime win, as Barrett ran for 75 yards and two touchdowns. A close call, but a win nonetheless.
Barrett would lead the Buckeyes to another 50-point offensive performance in a win against Illinois the following week. There was now serious Heisman Trophy talk surrounding J.T. Barrett, who at one time over the summer was the No. 3 quarterback on Ohio State’s depth chart. Those who weren’t quick to insert him into that conversation quite yet told us to hold off until November 8th, when the Buckeyes would travel to East Lansing to play the Michigan State Spartans.
It was there where the legend of J.T. Barrett was born. Heading into the game, few picked Ohio State to win (I was one of them). If they were going to have a chance against the Spartans, it would be the defensive line, led by Joey Bosa, who would need to step up and control the tempo. When the game got under way, it was apparent immediately that the game was going to be a shootout, regardless of the star power both teams had on defense.
Throughout the course of the contest, it was J.T. Barrett who entertained the masses and formally introduced himself to the nation with pinpoint accuracy on deep balls and footwork that left Spartan defenders in the dust when he tucked it and ran. I’ve watched a lot of college football this season. Nobody throws a better ball than what J.T. Barrett threw that night against Michigan State.
When the dust had settled, Ohio State was victorious on the back of a five touchdown showing (three passes, two runs) from J.T Barrett. The Buckeyes were immediately back into the national title hunt — right where they were back in August before Braxton Miller went down.
J.T. Barrett is the best story of the 2014 college football season because he is himself a metaphor for what the game has become this year. The birth of a new College Football Playoff means that a loss early on does not eliminate you from contention. You will be given a chance to grow and gain momentum. When all is said and done, the poll mentality of the past, where you move up or down based on what others do, is dead.
Now, a full snapshot of the season is used as criteria to determine who the best and most deserving teams in college football are. It’s not about how you start or finish, but the full body of work. The best teams and players will be rewarded.
Right now, I believe with all my heart that the Ohio State Buckeyes are the best team in college football. They weren’t at the beginning of the season, but they are at this moment. And they are the best team in the land because they have, right now, the best player and story in college football under center in J.T. Barrett.
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