J.T. Barrett Didn't Look Too Happy After OSU's CFP National Championship Win

Weird happenings were afoot after Ohio State’s victory over Oregon in the College Football Playoff National Championship. 

The subject of ink arose, a third-string quarterback talked pro ball and one of the most instrumental individuals in the Buckeyes’ return to national dominance sat alone on a bench, arms crossed. 

Only J.T. Barrett knows how he felt in the moments after Monday night’s game, but it’s clear he was digesting the win in a different way than his teammates.

CBSSports.com's Jon Solomon tweeted a picture of the injured quarterback taken immediately after the Buckeyes' victory. Confetti is falling, his team is celebrating on the field and Barrett is sitting alone on the bench, looking somewhere between meditative and glum.

For what it's worth, Barrett says he isn’t conflicted over the team’s win. After the game, Barrett told NFL.com’s Chase Goodbread he was not bothered watching the Buckeyes succeed without him.

“No bitterness,” Barrett said. “I’m not bitter at all. I feel great. I’m really happy. I didn’t win a state championship in high school. I won a national championship here at Ohio State. That’s why I came here…no mixed feelings at all. None.”

Of course, any melancholy Barrett could have felt in his heart of hearts Monday night would have been entirely understandable.

Since fracturing his ankle during the Michigan game in November, Barrett has sat by and watched third-string wunderkind Cardale Jones finish the final leg of his race in spectacular fashion. This was his team—his season—and Monday night he was faced with celebrating a win that does serious damage to the prospects of him starting for Ohio State in 2015—something he plans to do.

Barrett is adamant about staying put and fighting for the starting job in Columbus next season. He told Sports Illustrated’s Pete Thamel that he plans to return to Ohio State for his redshirt sophomore year.

“I’m not leaving,” Barrett told Thamel. “I don’t think Braxton is leaving. I don’t think Cardale is leaving. That’s being honest. With that, I mean, it’s just competition. It’s part of football. It’s what we’re about to do.”

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