Ohio State redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett became just the sixth quarterback in school history to throw 20 TD passes in a season during the Buckeyes' 56-17 demolition of Rutgers.
Barrett accounted for five touchdowns, including three TD passes. He now has 20 TD passes in seven games for the Buckeyes (5-1); the single-season school record is 30 by Troy Smith, during his Heisman-winning campaign in 2006. He is four passes shy of tying Braxton Miller for fifth-most in a season in school history; Miller threw 24 last season.
Barrett threw for 261 yards and led the Buckeyes with a career-high 107 rushing yards; his two rushing touchdowns gave him four for the season. He has accounted for at least four TDs in four consecutive games, the longest such streak currently in the nation.
Barrett also has 1,613 passing yards, putting him on pace to become just the third quarterback in school history to throw for 3,000 yards in a season. Joe Germaine leads with 3,330 yards in 1998.
Since tossing three interceptions in a loss to Virginia Tech in the second game of the season, Barrett has thrown 17 TD passes and just one pick.
It was Ohio State's fourth consecutive game with at least 50 points; that's the first time that has happened in school history. In addition, the Buckeyes finished with 585 total yards, the second time in school history they have rolled up 500 yards in four games in a row. They also did it in 1998.
The victory was Ohio State's 18th in a row in the Big Ten, two shy of the league record set by the 2005-07 Buckeyes.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
