Wisconsin: Barrett breaks Buckeyes through adversity on ‘another step on the journey’

With the exception of the 2014 Big Ten championship game, when the Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Wisconsin Badgers meet on the gridiron, it’s usually a grind out smash mouth battle to the final seconds.

Ohio State clawed past Wisconsin after halftime of its 30-23 win, needing a sack on fourth-and-goal from the 4 to finally finish off the Badgers.

The Badgers got their ground game going early and finished the first half with 170 rushing yards and 313 total yards.

Barrett’s 21 carries, which produced 92 yards rushing and two touchdowns, were the second week in a row he surpassed 20 carries. He came back and led the resolute Buckeyes to scores on four of their last five possessions, including his game-winning seven-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Noah Brown in overtime.

Tim Moody: J.T. Barrett made some of the worst plays in Ohio State’s overtime win over Wisconsin.

In case you were wondering if the Buckeyes would be ready for the matchup against the Badgers, Barrett has you covered and will make sure the team is ready for one of the biggest games and arguably the toughest road game of the season. Nebraska is still undefeated in the Big Ten West, but games against the Badgers and Buckeyes – both on the road – still loom.

Brown caught a 7-yard pass in the corner of the end zone against one-on-one coverage as the Buckeyes (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) rallied to overcome a woeful first half. Over and over, Wisconsin put holes in the OSU defensive front and allow their passing game to have more options than OSU probably would prefer they have.

Corey Clement of the Wisconsin Badgers runs with the football during the first quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016.

Over on the Wisconsin side, they’re entering play this weekend with a 4-1 record, winning their first four games and dropping the October 1 matchup at MI 14-7.

Meyer’s impressive string of true road game victories continues. Wisconsin QB Alex Hornibrook had a forgettable game on 9-of-25 passing for 88 yards, a TD and three interceptions.

Looking back to October 1, the Wisconsin and MI matchup seems like a good example of what we could see today.

“The defense looks athletic”, Ogunbowale said Monday. He may be a thorn in the Buckeyes in the near future, and that’s in large part due to great play-calling from Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst. “At the same time, you say, ‘Hat’s off, he’s a heck of a player'”.

That approach produced just one second-half shot for Ohio State, which held that 2-1 lead until the 83rd minute. Then when the team needed him again, Barrett shook off two tackles in the backfield on 3rd-and-6 from the eight yard line and charged through the goal line for OSU’s first lead. With matches against Wisconsin and Michigan State coming up, IU could avoid Maryland, which is poised to finish in first place. “I think after halftime we came in and had to grind it out”.