Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield and Ohio State's J.T. Barrett have seen every possible situation during their respective careers.
They know the quarterback showdown is the headline heading into Saturday's top-five matchup between the No. 2 Buckeyes and No. 5 Sooners at Ohio Stadium, even if both try to deflect from that narrative as much as possible.
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"I feel like I'm going against Oklahoma's defense and he's going against Ohio State's defense," Barrett said at a NEWS conference Monday at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. "It's not really a matchup between us. We tried to make the most of opportunities we had. I think that's the biggest thing."
Mayfield is a walk-on, a transfer and a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist. Barrett went from third string to first string as a redshirt freshman in 2014, then back to second string before regaining the starting job last season. He is three touchdowns away from surpassing Drew Brees for the most total touchdowns of any quarterback in Big Ten history.
The two veteran quarterbacks have combined for more than 20,000 yards of total offense and 211 touchdowns. Most programs would take that any day without a complaint. Yet Mayfield and Barrett play for schools on the short list of teams expected to win every single game — and mean it. It's not easy to be the quarterback of a blue blood for that long.
They are still facing questions. They are always facing questions.
Sometimes it's off the field. Barrett was cited for OVI in 2015 and suspended for one game, and Mayfield was arrested in February on charges of public intoxication, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Most of that criticism, however, is directed toward what unfolds on the field.
Barrett spent Monday defending his accuracy after passing for 304 yards and three touchdowns — and adding another on the ground — in a 49-21 victory against Indiana. It was his debut with the third different offensive coordinator of his career in Kevin Wilson. Mayfield answered question after question about the “big game,” and how he'll respond with first-year coach Lincoln Riley.
With these two quarterbacks, it's the never-ending quest for respect.
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"It's a big game," Mayfield said at his Monday news conference. "It's one of the bigger ones in the year for us, but you can't treat it any differently. I think that's going to help my mindset. ... I'll translate to the guys that may have a tendency to overdo it a little bit."
Mayfield has that reputation, and he put last year's 45-24 loss to the Buckeyes on himself, specifically the two momentum-turning interceptions in that game. That's the biggest question heading into the rematch: How will Mayfield handle the primetime spotlight at The Shoe?
"He's played enough ball now, I used to have to calm him down a little bit, but not much now," Riley said on the Big Ten teleconference Monday. "He's been in a lot of big environments. He's played in big games, home, neutral and on the road. He knows what he has to do to play well."
Barrett, meanwhile, seemingly worked out the kinks in the passing game with the receivers, and he responded to comments from Indiana coach Tom Allen by saying, “I'm an accurate quarterback.” Coach Urban Meyer also defended the fifth-year senior and three-time captain.
"He's a very accurate passer," Meyer said. "I made this comment. The accuracy of a quarterback has to do with the timing and relationship he has with the receivers. If he's expecting a receiver to come back and the receiver goes there, it may look like the quarterback's fault. That's what happened the last couple weeks. We had some accuracy issues with J.T. but also the receivers. Much better now."
It's because of those questions that Saturday's game is another proving-ground game for both quarterbacks. Barrett and Mayfield share a common link — their only College Football Playoff appearance as a starter resulted in a loss to Clemson. Winning this game is a big piece of getting back to the postseason, a notch that made the difference for the Buckeyes last season.
Until the playoff, at least. That's why those questions still exist. Barrett and Mayfield are held to an impossible standard, one that isn't validated until they hold up a national championship trophy. That's unfair on some levels, but that's life at a top-five program. This is another chance to show it. It's a big game for two programs who happen to have experience at the most important position. That's why you might have to look elsewhere to find out what makes the difference.
"People might put the headline as J.T. Barrett and I," Mayfield said. "But no, it's going to be a huge matchup in the trenches. I think every game starts up front. ... The big games like this, you see how physical you are."
