Wisconsin vs. Ohio State: Buckeyes win Big Ten title, igniting College Football Playoff debate

Brandon Schlager

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Wisconsin vs. Ohio State: Buckeyes win Big Ten title, igniting College Football Playoff debate image

Of Saturday's four College Football Playoff "play-in" games, the Big Ten championship carried the greatest potential to upend everything.

As it happened, Ohio State threw a wrench in the playoff debate with its 27-21 victory over No. 4 Wisconsin, ending the Badgers' bid for an undefeated season and their final four hopes along with it. One question remains for the selection committee ahead of Sunday's reveal: Ohio State or Alabama?

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J.T. Barrett and Co. have a case despite their two losses, one being an ugly 55-24 beatdown to Iowa that a month ago seemed to end the Buckeyes' playoff hopes.

"We have two wins over two top-four teams. We're the conference champions. We deserve a shot," Urban Meyer proclaimed from the podium at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The case for Ohio State might have been cut and dry if it had beaten Wisconsin more handily. Barrett, six days removed from undergoing arthroscopic surgery to remove a piece of torn cartilage in his right knee, labored through the game missing open receivers and committing a pair of ugly interceptions that allowed the Badgers to hang around. But when it mattered, Barrett made enough plays (12 of 26, 221 yards, three total touchdowns) to get the win against a tough defense.

While Alabama (11-1) sat idle away from the SEC championship game, Ohio State's best case for the committee is Saturday's win.

MORE: Alabama vs. Ohio State: Who would deserve last playoff spot?

Here's how the Buckeyes did it. (all times Eastern)

Wisconsin vs. Ohio State live updates

Fourth quarter

11:58 — And on fourth-and-20, Alex Hornibrook airmails a throw down the middle and Damon Webb makes the game-sealing interception. Final score: 27-21. Wisconsin is undefeated no longer. Commence the College Football Playoff arguments: Ohio State or Alabama?

11:56 — Third down. You need 20 yards. SCREEN PASS TO THE FULLBACK. Wisconsin logic. 

11:47 — Wisconsin's defense stands tall and forces a three-and-out. The Badgers will start at their own 30 with 2:59 remaining.

11:43 — Punts are for losers. Fourth-and-3 and the Badgers elect to give the ball back to the Buckeyes with 3:20 to play. Wisconsin has all three timeouts.

11:38 —  Sean Nuernberger comes through on a 20-yard field goal to put Ohio State up 27-21. But the Badgers have a cool 5:20 to work with and can pull ahead if they find the end zone. Here. We. Go.

11:32 — J.T. Barrett picks up a huge first down on fourth-and-1 with an impressive second effort.

11:29 — Terry McLaurin can't be stopped. He's made two of Ohio State's biggest offensive plays tonight.

11:24 — Winner.

11:20 — And we're back. The Badgers convert for two points after a 10-minute delay to repair the field  and it's 24-21 all of a sudden . There's still 12:39 to play. Buckle up.

11:10 — Turf malfunction. This could take a while.

11:06 — Touchdown Wisconsin! Chris James scores from 1 yard out and the lead is down to 24-19 (point after pending). Ohio State is letting the Badgers hang around.

Third quarter

10:42 —  Sean Nuernberger's 27-yard field goal gives Ohio State a little more breathing room. Buckeyes 24, Badgers 10.

10:27 — Badgers squander another promising drive and settle for a 46-yard field goal. A touchdown would work wonders, but it's now a one-score game: Ohio State 21, Wisconsin 13 .

10:19 — If you fell asleep during the eternity that was halftime, time to wake up.

Second quarter

9:51 — It's Ohio State 21, Wisconsin 10 at the half, but it could be more. J.T. Barrett missed two wide-open throws to receivers on the final drive before halftime, which would have gone for easy touchdowns. He's 1 of 6 on passes 15 yards or more downfield tonight. Badgers save some face with a blocked 43-yard field-goal attempt as time expired, but the Buckeyes get the ball back to start the second half.

9:41 — The Badgers can't get anything going offensively. They promptly spoil the fumble with a three-and-out. Rafael Gaglianone makes good on his 28-yard field-goal attempt and it's now 21-10, Ohio State .

9:36 — That's another way to do it. Linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, who's scored Wisconsin's only touchdown so far, forces another Ohio State turnover, this time stripping Mike Weber. Badgers take over at the Buckeyes' 11-yard line.

9:31 — Wisconsin might want to try going for it on fourth-and-short one of these times. Momentum sorely needed.

9:18 — And J.T. Barrett finishes the job with a 1-yard score. Buckeyes take a 21-7 lead .

9:16 —  J.K. Dobbins exploits a massive gap in the middle of the Wisconsin line and explodes 77 yards downfield, stepping out of bounds a yard shy of the endzone. Ohio State has 266 yards of total offense already. Still 11:10 left in the first half.

First quarter

8:56 —  How's this for a start to a football game? Ohio State answers immediately. Four plays after the pick-six, J.T. Barrett dumps it off in the flat to Parris Campbell, who makes a pretty little shimmy to break free from two Wisconsin defenders. Fifty-four yards later, it's 14-7, Buckeyes.

8:54 — Wisconsin now has five pick-sixes this season. That leads the nation.

8:52 —  That was a not-so-great throw by J.T. Barrett ... right into the ready hands of Andrew Van Ginkel, who waltzes into the end zone 9 yards away. And we've got a 7-7 ballgame .

8:46 — That was the longest pass play of J.T. Barrett's career and the longest play — period — Wisconsin has surrendered all season.

8:40 — And the Buckeyes capitalize on the turnover! J.T. Barrett looks just fine with a strike to Terry McLaurin, who went 84 yards for the score. Ohio State 7, Wisconsin 0 .

8:34 — Denzel Ward comes up with the big interception with Wisconsin driving deep in Ohio State territory.

8:16 — It's game time. Ohio State wins the coin toss but defers. Wisconsin will start with the ball.

Pregame

7:56 — Reminder: This is J.T. Barrett's first Big Ten championship game.

7:46 — While we wait for kickoff, everyone should know Tim Tebow made a lot of Wisconsin fans angry this afternoon .

7:38 — J.T. Barrett indeed will start, Urban Meyer confirms.

7:15 — Looks like someone is ready to play.

7 p.m. — J.T. Barrett watch, commence.

Brandon Schlager

Brandon Schlager Photo

Brandon Schlager is an assistant managing editor at The Sporting News. A proud Buffalo, N.Y. native and graduate of SUNY Buffalo State, he joined SN as an intern in 2014 and now oversees editorial content strategy.