Fiesta Bowl Could Be Launching Point for J.T. Barrett's 2016 Heisman Campaign

COLUMBUS, Ohio — At the end of the 2005 college football season, an Ohio State team on the outside looking in of the national title picture headed to Arizona for a Fiesta Bowl matchup against Notre Dame with an opportunity to build momentum heading into the following year.

Sound familiar?

Sure, the teams' coaches have changed, the NFL careers of many of the players have come and gone and even the game itself has moved from Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe to University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.

But regardless of how much is different from the last time these teams played, there is still no shortage of similarities between the upcoming Fiesta Bowl pitting the Buckeyes against the Fighting Irish and the one that took place a decade ago.

Come New Year's Day, that could be especially gratifying for Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett.

That's because before he found himself in New York City accepting the 72nd Heisman Trophy, Buckeyes quarterback Troy Smith first enjoyed a breakout game on a national stage in a Fiesta Bowl that was otherwise a consolation prize for two teams that missed out on the BCS National Championship Game. Ten years ago, Smith totaled 408 yards of offense (342 passing, 66 rushing) and two passing touchdowns in Ohio State's 34-20 win over Notre Dame to set the stage for his start-to-finish 2006 Heisman run.

While he's already a bigger name than Smith was at that time, a similar performance by Barrett could double as a reintroduction into the national spotlight. Given all that he's been through in 2015—due to factors both in and out of his control—starting 2016 on the right foot may not just be crucial but necessary to the dual-threat quarterback's future Heisman hopes.

PAUL CONNORS/Associated Press/Associated Press

After finishing fifth in Heisman voting as a redshirt freshman in 2014, Barrett was supplanted in Ohio State's starting lineup after a season-ending fractured ankle opened the door for Cardale Jones' improbable run through the College Football Playoff.

Despite entering his sophomore season with the third-best odds—9-1, per Bovada (via Odds Shark)—to win college football's most talked-about individual award, Barrett sat on the bench for the better part of the Buckeyes' first seven games as head coach Urban Meyer stuck with Jones as his starter.

And although Barrett appeared to reinvigorate the Ohio State offense—first as a red-zone quarterback, then as a situational signal-caller and finally as a full-time starter—any long-shot Heisman aspirations the Wichita Falls, Texas, native still harbored came to an end with an October charge for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, which resulted in a one-game suspension.

In 2015, Barrett has amassed 1,367 total yards (781 passing, 586 rushing) and 21 touchdowns (10 passing, 11 rushing) and holds a 3-1 record in four starts. Unsurprisingly, he did not receive a single vote for the Heisman Trophy, which was awarded to Alabama running back Derrick Henry.

"I try not to live in regret," Barrett said when asked about an offense that didn't seem to find its footing until a 42-13 win over Michigan in the regular-season finale. "We all learn. I think that was just a learning process. ... Like anything that happens in somebody's life, you live and you learn in whatever situation that may be. I think that's just something we did as an offense."

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

While it's too late for the Buckeyes when it comes to this season's Heisman or national championship, 2016 already looks like it will be a promising year for both.

Ohio State is preparing for an exodus of NFL talent from its roster following the Fiesta Bowl, but Barrett's presence should be enough to keep the Buckeyes in next season's playoff discussion, especially with Big Ten East rivals Michigan State and Michigan slated to break in new starting quarterbacks.

And without Jones around to split reps or Ezekiel Elliott to carry the load on the ground—and into the end zone—Ohio State's reliance on Barrett could again result in the Heisman-like numbers he accumulated in 2014, when he set a Buckeyes single-season record with 3,772 total yards and a Big Ten mark with 45 touchdowns.

Of course, it wouldn't hurt Barrett's 2016 candidacy—which will only be aided by his role as the starting quarterback for a nationally prominent program—to have a big game in the Fiesta Bowl. Fair or not, preseason buzz has always factored into the award process, as at the very least, it helps to have a head start when it comes to name recognition with voters.

No one knows that better than Smith, who parlayed his 2005 finale into a huge 2006. The Columbus native and Cleveland high school product led preseason No. 1 Ohio State to a 12-0 regular season as a senior, maintained pole position as the preseason Heisman Trophy favorite and won the award by the largest margin ever.

As far as the Heisman is concerned, Barrett insists that's not where his mind is as the Buckeyes prepare for their trip to the Grand Canyon State.

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

"We're just going to go out there and play well, wherever we end up," Barrett said before Ohio State's bowl destination was revealed. "Go out and play hard and make sure we win for the seniors. I'm going to make sure that's the team's mindset."

Now, with the program in the same position it was in 10 years ago, and the same bowl game against the same opponent on deck, the similarities between Smith and Barrett are too striking to ignore.

It worked out well for Smith.

We'll have to wait to see if Barrett can follow in his footsteps. But just as it was for the last Buckeye to win the sport's most prestigious individual honor, a launching point in the desert is waiting.

Ben Axelrod is Bleacher Report's Big Ten lead writer. You can follow him on Twitter @BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes were obtained firsthand. All statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com. Recruiting rankings courtesy of 247Sports.