Critics can say what they want about Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett, and they have at times this year, but nobody can deny he plays his best with the chips in the middle of the table.
| DATE | OPPONENT | RESULT |
|---|---|---|
| 10-26-14 | @ PENN STATE | 32-24 (2 OT) |
| 10-16-16 | @ WISCONSIN | 30-23 |
| 11-26-16 | MICHIGAN | 30-27 (2 OT) |
For evidence of this, we turn to Barrett's sterling record in overtime. The Buckeyes have gone into overtime three times during the Texan's career and emerged victorious in all three contests, with two of them coming in primetime in the Big Ten's most raucous environments.
When the game is on the line, Urban Meyer turns the game over to his quarterback, and Barrett performed admirably in all five overtime periods, leading his unit to five touchdowns in five drives.
Perhaps most remarkably, Barrett played a role in four out of the five touchdowns while serving as the primary offensive catalyst.
The numbers, however, don't do Barrett's witchcraft justice without the accompany video.
AT PENN STATE (2014)
Penn State never led No. 13 Ohio State until Nittany Lion running back Bill Belton took a one-yard plunge into the end zone to cap a seven-play, 25-yard touchdown drive to lead off the first overtime in Happy Valley.
The Buckeyes had surrendered 24 unanswered points and trailed 24-17 when J.T. Barrett, who sprained a knee in the first half, and the offense took the field for their rebuttal possession.
After Ezekiel Elliott rushed for three yards on first down, Penn State showed a blitz before second down. Barrett called an audible, and the ensuing play resulted in a fake handoff that fooled the camera man before he spotted the QB rushing down the left sideline for 17 yards and a first down.
The next play Barrett ran five yards up the middle of the Penn State defense for a touchdown.
Barrett didn't stop there, either.
On the PAT, referees flagged PSU linebacker Mike Hull for unsportsmanlike conduct, which moved the ball from the 25-yard line to the 12-yard line to start the second overtime period.
An Ezekiel Elliott rush resulted in two yards on first down. Two plays and ten rushing yards later, J.T. Barrett stood in the end zone for the second time in overtime.
Four plays and -3 yards later, Joey Bosa ended the game with a walk-off sack.
AT WISCONSIN (2016)
No. 2 Ohio State outscored No. 8 Wisconsin 17-7 in the second half to force overtime under the lights of Camp Randall, with the game-tying field goal coming with 3:57 left in the fourth quarter.
Unlike at Penn State two years prior, OSU only needed one possession to end the game in overtime. Like at Penn State, J.T. Barrett proved to be the decisive factor.
Barrett found junior H-Back Curtis Samuel for 10 yards and a first down on the first play of OT. A false start penalty, though, made the play result in 1st and 15 from the UW 20-yard line.
Barrett found James Clark for eight yards on the next play, but a Jamarco Jones holding penalty resulted in 2nd and 13 from the Wisconsin 18-yard-line.
Barrett went back to Samuel on the next play for 8 yards before placing a dime to Noah Brown, on 3rd and 2, to put the Buckeyes up for good.
Ohio State defensive end Tyquan Lewis ended the game six plays later when he sacked Wisconsin quarterback Alex Hornibrook.
MICHIGAN (2016)
Curtis Samuel earned the headlines for his Bo Jackson-like run and daggering of No. 3 Michigan in overtime.
Samuel did other things (like dusting Jabrill Peppers on an 18-yard scamper to start the first overtime), but Barrett's contributions shouldn't be undersold.
Barrett finished off that opening possession with a seven-yard touchdown run, which again was Ohio State's first lead of the day. But it wasn't enough to beat Michigan outright, who responded with a touchdown in seven plays on the next drive.
Michigan started the second period with the ball, and the Ohio State defense stymied it to a field goal.
Unfortunately for Michigan fans, that put the ball back in the hands of Barrett, who only scored touchdowns on his previous four overtime possessions.
After Samuel's Tecmo Super Bowl eight-yard run set up a key fourth and one, Meyer once again turned to the Texan.
With the team's goals on his back, Barrett carved through the heart of the Michigan defense for the grittiest one-yard gain you're likely to ever see in The Rivalry.
If the resulting first-down call didn't break Michigan's spine, Curtis Samuel did on the following play.
Barrett didn't play his best for large swaths of those three wins, but he outright dominated opponents when it mattered most. Here's a look at those stats again:
| OPPONENT | OVERTIME PERFORMANCE |
|---|---|
| PENN STATE | 32 RUSHING YARDS ON 4 ATTEMPTS, 2 TOUCHDOWNS |
| WISCONSIN | 39 YARDS PASSING ON 4 ATTEMPTS, 1 TOUCHDOWN |
| MICHIGAN | 13 YARDS PASSING, 8 YARDS RUSHING, 1 RUSH TOUCHDOWN |
Perhaps what's most noticeable is the number not in that table: 0, as in the number of turnovers he committed in those five possessions.
Meyer may have assembled the perfect defense for shutting down opponents in the red zone, but he also has the perfect overtime quarterback.
