J.T. Barrett’s final game at Ohio Stadium was supposed to be over before halftime.
With Ohio State already up 38-0, Barrett and most of Ohio State’s other starters on offense were removed from the game with more than five minutes still to play in the second quarter.
But in the third quarter, after a fumble by backup quarterback Dwayne Haskins was returned for a touchdown early in the third quarter, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer decided to put his fifth-year senior quarterback back in the game, along with the rest of the Buckeyes’ offensive starters – including fellow seniors Marcus Baugh, Jamarco Jones and Billy Price.
While that allowed those seniors to get one more moment of glory, that wasn’t why Meyer put them back in the game.
"I was just so pissed," Meyer said. "I just didn’t want it to turn into a clown show, which it looked like it for a minute."
Barrett said he had taken off his knee brace and helmet, while Jones and Price had taken off their tape at halftime. Even with that, though, the offensive starters were able to lead another scoring drive, capped by a 12-yard touchdown pass from Barrett to Baugh, helping the Buckeyes (9-2, 7-1 Big Ten) cruise to a 52-14 victory over Illinois.
A day that began with those 19 seniors being honored during the Buckeyes’ annual Senior Day festivities ended with Barrett hoisting the Illibuck and numerous other seniors, including Tyquan Lewis, Jalyn Holmes, Tracy Sprinkle, Chris Worley and Damon Webb, going into the south stands to celebrate with the loyal fans who stayed until the end on a very rainy day.
"We just wanted to go out with a bang," Lewis said. "Just doing something to just cherish the moment, cherish all the fans, especially in the fans in the Block O section, ‘cause they bring the juice every week when we play at home, and it’s the last time I’ll be able to do something like that."
Meyer reiterated after the game, as he had said during the week, that Saturday’s game was "not a goodbye," as the Buckeyes still have a lot of in front of them: the rivalry game with Michigan next week, the Big Ten Championship Game against Wisconsin after that and a to-be-determined postseason after that. Meyer was glad, though, that the seniors had a chance to go out the right way in front of a home crowd of 105,282 fans.
"It was an opportunity for our seniors to tip their hat to the best fans in the land," Meyer said. "I’ve been a lot of places where the crowd doesn’t tip their hat back at you. And today was awesome. They did that. And it’s well-deserved."
While the Buckeyes tried to keep their emotions in check on Saturday, knowing they had a game to play and more games to come, multiple seniors acknowledged after the game that that was easier said than done.
"I tried to keep it in, but seeing my mom and how happy she was just made it such a special experience," Jones said. "Realizing that things, from the walk after the Skull Session to entering the field with my brothers, it was the last time; it’s just a heavy experience."
Lewis said Saturday was a day he will never forget.
"The last time running out through the tunnel and just looking around, just seeing everybody applauding you and everything like that, hearing your name called, it’ll be something that I’ll remember for the rest of my life," Lewis said.
Barrett achieved multiple milestones during his 27th and final game in the Shoe, becoming the first player in Big Ten history to throw 100 career touchdown passes and Ohio State’s all-time leading rusher among quarterbacks. In playing only part of the first half and that one possession in the third quarter, Barrett threw for 141 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 33 yards and another touchdown.
Barrett said he didn’t think much about being it last game in Ohio Stadium, instead keeping his focus on executing the job he had to do on Saturday, but he was pleased with the way he and his fellow seniors performed in their final game in front of their home crowd.
"I think it was good. It’s always better when you win. There’s just a lot of appreciation for Buckeye Nation. I try to go out and just do my job," Barrett said. "There’s a last time for everything … I tried to do my best when I was playing here at Ohio Stadium, and I think we went out in a good way."
“The last time running out through the tunnel and just looking around, just seeing everybody applauding you and everything like that, hearing your name called, it’ll be something that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”– Tyquan Lewis
Eleven of the 19 seniors honored before the game were on the field as starters at the beginning of Saturday’s game. In addition to Barrett, Jones, Price and Baugh on offense, the Buckeyes started seven seniors on defense: Webb and Erick Smith at safety, Worley at linebacker and an all-senior starting defensive line of Lewis, Holmes, Sprinkle and Michael Hill.
Standout performers among them included Smith, who led the Buckeyes with six tackles, and Worley, who started at outside linebacker for a second consecutive game and recorded five tackles.
Special teams regulars Zach Turnure and Elijaah Goins and walk-ons Nick Seme, Trevon Forte, Cin’Quan Haney, Jackson Hayes and Clay Raterman also saw the field in their final home games as Buckeyes, with Haney, Hayes and Raterman seeing what will likely be their only snaps of their careers. Former Buckeyes quarterback Stephen Collier, who remained with the team in a support role this year despite retiring from football after last season, was also honored before Saturday’s game.
