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OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 26, 2016

J.T. Barrett

Columbus, Ohio

Ohio State - 30, Michigan - 27 (2OT)

THE MODERATOR: Questions for J.T.

Q. J.T., what's going through your mind on that play in double overtime when Curtis gets the ball and seems like all hell breaks loose?
J.T. BARRETT: Man, I was trying to block somebody but I ain't the best blocker. Yeah, I tried to block but I think he went back like three times. So I'm glad he's really good, because everybody was trying to get a piece of somebody, but he just made everybody miss.

Q. Is that a busted play; what would you guys call that?
J.T. BARRETT: No, I think that was just a good job on their part. It was a screen and No. 5 came over the top. He scraped over the top, I guess he had Curtis in man. I thought we had a good look. That's why we ran the play -- or I continued to run the play. Then he did a good job skirting over the top and Curtis did his thing.

Q. J.T., offense was almost non-existent at times, then all of a sudden, fourth quarter you came alive and of course overtime. What came right for you guys what did you all get going? And number two, what's going through your head right now? You win a double overtime game against Michigan. You're alive big time in the playoff ranking.
J.T. BARRETT: First half we had good things called. We just weren't executing it, whether it myself, O line, receivers, it was everybody played their part in that.

The second half, defense was doing their job. We've gotta do ours. So let's go out there and do our part. We were doing everything we prepared for. So it was just really going out and executing that. And right now, been a part of some crazy football games here. That one's number one.

Yeah, I'm just really thankful, honestly. Grateful that God blessed me with all these blessings, and happy for our fan. I think Buckeye Nation, to have that game played at home, just happy that we was able to go out there and win for the season and win for Buckeye Nation.

Q. Two years ago you were not able to finish the game. How much did it mean to you to lead the team to victory. But also on the fourth-down play, can you walk us through, how sure were you that you got that first down?
J.T. BARRETT: I guess I didn't really think about me being injured last time we played at home against the team up north. I think it was one of the things you learn from as part of the game.

And honestly, when I got hit, I wasn't 100 percent certain, to be honest with you. I looked at it. But when I fell, I fell on top of people. So I didn't know exactly what it was going to be. But I'm glad I got it. The review said it was good.

Q. In the fourth quarter, and in overtime, you guys were in situations where you had fourth and short, and you could have tied it. Coach Meyer decided to go for it in very critical situations. That was basically the game. What's it like being a quarterback in that situation, getting the confidence from the coach to go for it? And how stressful or maybe even terrifying is it for you guys in those situations?
J.T. BARRETT: I don't like your word choice, terrified, stressful. That's what we do. I mean, when he says -- I mean, honestly, when it's fourth and short, I feel like we can go for it every time. Like I don't -- I mean I know field position plays a part of it, but we're on their side of the 50, I'm really jacked about it. Like let's go do that, because that's what we do.

We are in those situations countless times before the season starts and spring ball. And then when it comes to the season that's what we do; we take risks and we have a great offensive line to go out and get those first downs.

Terrified, stress, is not the words I use.

Q. A few weeks ago you were pretty outspoken about this team and the College Football Playoff conversation. Now that you guys have done everything that you can, where do you think this team stands if you guys don't make it to the Big Ten Championship?
J.T. BARRETT: I mean, I meant what I said. But I mean it's really out of our hands. At this time I think we are one of the top four teams in the country, personally, but I think that, like I said, it's up to the committee to do their thing. Hopefully everything works out in our favor.

Q. When you got through (indiscernible) and into the locker room with your guys, just talk about what that moment was like, when you guys were able to get together and realize what you just accomplished -- five straight, I guess, over Michigan. And for you guys that are here now and just with all the former players that were here today and everything else that was kind of rolled into it?
J.T. BARRETT: Right. I don't know. I didn't do a lot of thinking, honestly. I just looked around and, man, that just happened. We just played the team up north football in double overtime and we just won.

So, I don't know, I think that's why you play the game of football for moments like this because all the training we go through, all the workouts and yelling and screaming, I mean, this is why we play the game for moments like this against your rivals and a great atmosphere for college football and for your teammates. And I think that was just something that we shared right there, that let our seniors go out with a bang. Those guys got five gold pants. Five. Some people don't even get one. But the fact that they got five, that's truly a blessing. And I was just very thankful that I could be a part of this.

Q. Give us a sneak peak on the conversation with you and Tyler Durbin, some of the things that maybe you spoke to him to kind of calm him down?
J.T. BARRETT: I just told him he's got this. I mean, when I think about it, there's times I miss passes and there's times when he misses field goals. That's our job, that's our role. I am supposed to complete passes and he's supposed to kick field goals and they're supposed to go in.

That's very clear. When it doesn't happen, it's almost like the end of the world. But it's okay. Just understand that that's part of just being in the right now, forget about the past, that's something that I try to do. In the first half, did I play great? Absolutely not.

But the simple fact is that's in the past and we've got to move on and play forward, and that was something that I was trying to expressing to him, it's okay. We believe in you. You go right out there and you put it right through the pipes like he always told us. So all good.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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