JT Barrett's Play vs. Penn State Shows Again Why He Should Start for Ohio State

In Saturday's 38-10 win over Penn State, sophomore quarterback J.T. Barrett proved what many Ohio State fans already knew: He's the best quarterback on the roster, and it's about time Urban Meyer named him the starter.

Cardale Jones started and played the first three series against the Nittany Lions, but the Buckeyes went nowhere fast, gaining 20 total yards and punting thrice. He led them inside the red zone at the end of the first quarter, but Barrett replaced him, the same way he did against Maryland, and promptly converted a 3rd-and-7 before scoring a touchdown two plays later.

As the game wore on and Penn State hung around, Meyer abandoned his "Cardale outside the red zone, Barrett in the red zone" philosophy, giving Barrett increased reps all over the field. He replaced Jones for good in the third quarter, with Ohio State leading 21-10, and led three straight scoring drives to put the game out of reach.

He didn't do much with his arm, completing all four of his passes for 30 yards and two touchdowns, but he rushed 11 times for 102 yards and another two touchdowns while providing the spark that led Ohio State beyond a strong, aggressive defense.

ESPN Stats & Info. tweeted Barrett and Jones' splits. See if you notice the difference:

Despite that, Meyer still hasn't named Barrett the starter. Ohio State is winning, so he prefers to not upset the status quo.

"We'll keep evaluating [the QB situation]," Meyer said on the postgame ESPN broadcast.

But what is really left to evaluate?

Cardale missed three easy throws in the first 15 minutes, hamstringing an offense that with Barrett went off without a hitch. It was the latest in a string of shaky performances, which Steve Palazzolo of Pro Football Focus, writing for ESPN Insider, summed up before the game:

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Beyond just the deep throws, Jones hasn't shown the necessary progression here in 2015. He's grading at minus-12.8 in his six games (92nd in the nation, right behind [Penn State QB Christian] Hackenberg), all while failing to lock down his status as the undisputed starter for the Buckeyes. He's had a turnover-worthy play (TWP) on 6.0 percent of his dropbacks (10th worst in the nation) and he's supplemented that with big-time throws (BTTs) on only 3.0 percent of his dropbacks, 16th lowest percentage in the FBS. When you add it up, Jones' biggest asset, his arm, is not enough to offset his poor play on the field.

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Benching Jones would be a delicate situation. What he did at the end of last season, when he replaced an injured Barrett and led the Buckeyes to the national title, made him more than just a plucky fan favorite.

It made him an Ohio State legend.

But the Buckeyes can't jeopardize their title defense for the sake of not offending a legend. If the production was close to equal and Meyer preferred Jones' upside, that would be one thing. But the production from Saturday's game speaks for itself:

	J.T. Barrett	Cardale Jones
Plays (Pass/Run)	15	19
Yards	142	68
Yards Per Play	9.47	3.58
Touchdowns	4	0
Success Rate	66.6%	31.6%

The most important thing Barrett has done, other than converting in the red zone, is not taking any sacks. He played another clean game on Saturday, escaping pressure against a defense that thrives on creating it.

Cardale took two more sacks, raising his season total to nine. His upside—the presumed reason Meyer starts him—does not outweigh his penchant for negative plays and unfinished drives.

James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

Barrett gives this offense new energy and makes it click in a way Jones hasn't. Meyer knew that was the case inside the red zone, but on Saturday he learned it's the case all over the field.

This quarterback battle is over. The platoon should be over, too. Barrett has done enough to earn the job.

The question is whether Meyer will actually give it to him.