10 Players to Watch in Ohio State-Michigan Showdown

#4. J.T. Barrett QB

In most games, whether college or NFL, the adage tends to say that teams play as well as their quarterback plays.

This year’s match between Ohio State and Michigan may not follow that old rule.

Michigan’s quarterback situation speaks for itself, but even if Barrett does not have his best passing day, the Buckeyes have shown they are capable of overcoming that, if everyone else plays at a high level.

Barrett has had a few rough games this season, most notably against Indiana, Penn State and Michigan State.

The Buckeyes lost that game against Penn State, were still able to beat Indiana handily with a strong running game and dominant defense, and narrowly escaped against Michigan State, thanks to a strong running game and clutch stops on defense.

Even if Barrett does not have his best game through the air, if he can continue to be an impact player with the read option and take care of the football, Ohio State has a great chance to come away with the victory.

The times where we have seen Barrett play his best in the passing game are when Ohio State has looked virtually unbeatable.

He has the weapons to throw to, but often times, if he is under pressure or the weather conditions are not favorable, his flaws are exposed.

At the very least, Barrett needs to be effective in the running game and take care of the football.

Next Slide: #3

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