COLUMBUS — There was a loud but clearly low-brow crowd that wanted to bench Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett earlier this season.
That message-board mafia insisted the Buckeyes’ reigning Big Ten MVP couldn’t beat an elite team with his arm. On Saturday, Barrett unleashed that arm on No. 2 Penn State and its top-rated defense in the nation.
When he was through, sixth-ranked Ohio State rebounded from a pair of 18-point deficits, one in the second half, to key a stunning, 39-38 win over the Nittany Lions in college football’s game of the year to date.
“Wow. What the heck just happened?” Ohio State coach Urban Meyer asked in a surreal postgame setting. “That was one of the best fourth quarters I’ve ever witnessed in my coaching career.
“Of all the 31 years I’ve ever been, I can’t remember one quite like this one.”
Meyer has seen a few things, between three national championships and two undefeated seasons. But this was on a different level, entirely because of the brilliance of the Texas native.
“I’ve never had a kid play perfect, but damn he was close tonight — 33 of 39. I can count four drops off the top of my head and two penalties that kept him from big completions,” said Meyer, who has coached Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow and No. 1 overall NFL draft pick Alex Smith. “And (J.T. would) be the first one to tell you he’s a product of those around him, which he is — receivers and offensive line played.
“That’s the No. 1 defense in America, we have great respect for. And I just can’t — just how proud of J.T.”
Barrett was simply incredible, triggering a euphoric reaction from the second-largest crowd in Ohio Stadium history (109,302).
“Sometimes I have to come across aggressive and intense and get our guys motivated, and there are other times where I need to use poise and let everybody know that everything will be OK,” Barrett said. “We have to stick together and it’s going to work out.”
As Meyer noted, the Texas native was 33-of-39 passing for 328 yards and four touchdowns, along with 95 yards rushing. He shattered Art Schlichter’s 36-year-old school record with 423 yards of total offense, eclipsing the mark of 412 set against Florida State in 1981.
“He’s a veteran quarterback who is protected very well and they have a lot of skillful players,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. “We are usually able to get to quarterbacks just through pass rush or blitz but we weren’t able to do that tonight.”
Barrett completed his last 16 passes, and the Buckeyes (7-1 overall, 5-0 in the Big Ten) needed every one of them to overcome a horrendous start that included a kickoff return for a score and a fumble that led directly to another touchdown and a 14-0 hole.
Penn State’s efficient attack scored four touchdowns on its first five possessions and looked to have the game on ice with a 38-20 lead late in the third quarter.
But that’s when Barrett turned assassin, firing three TD passes, two to Johnnie Dixon (38 and 10 yards) and the game-winning 16-yarder to tight end Marcus Baugh with 1:48 remaining.
“You guys can figure out all the records,” Meyer said. “I’ll just tell you, man-to-man, this is one man talking about another man (Barrett). I don’t know if I’ve ever had more respect for a human being and as a person, because you earn respect and you witness people in very dire straits at times, tough situations.
“He’s tough as a lion and he has an incredible skill to lead others.”
Barrett put a lion’s lock on the Nittany Lions (7-1, 4-1) even when his teammates were trying to give the game away. Penn State’s brilliant Saquon Barkley, the leading Heisman candidate before Barrett eclipsed him Saturday, returned the opening kick 97 yards for a TD and added a 36-yard touchdown run in the first half.
It was a 38-27 deficit with less than four minutes remaining and Barrett’s arm was his team’s only hope.
“I’ve had him for five years. I’ve seen it ever since he’s been playing for us,” Meyer said. “I heard about this J.T. Barrett guy, and he came on as a redshirt freshman. And he wasn’t tall enough, wasn’t this or that.
“But he’s tough as a lion and he has an incredible skill to lead others.”
It was the largest deficit one of Meyer’s teams has ever overcome, and — if the season goes according to form — should lead to Barrett’s invitation to New York City in December.
“I think the H-word is appropriate after today’s game,” Meyer said of Barrett.
