Scoggins: Gophers, Buckeyes quarterbacks show night-and-day difference

Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett accounted for four touchdowns in snowy conditions on Saturday. His counterpart, Mitch Leidner, completed only four passes before his final drive.

Sort through a game filled with momentum swings and big plays and sloppy mistakes, and Ohio State's 31-24 victory at TCF Bank Stadium came down to the difference at quarterback.

Barrett continued to state his [unexpected] case as a serious Heisman Trophy candidate. Leidner and his receivers were virtually nonexistent.

Barrett passed for 200 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 189 yards, including an 86-yard touchdown run.

Leidner completed only 7 of 19 passes for 85 yards with two second-half interceptions.

The Gophers aren't good enough to upset a team as talented as Ohio State by passing for only 85 yards.

"I've got to pick it up, I've got to do better," Leidner said.

Outside of stud tight end Maxx Williams, the Gophers are limited in receiving options.

But Leidner's performance continues to yo-yo and his accuracy remains problematic, so the passing game often looks disjointed.

"Mitch played well," Kill said. "He did a lot of good things."

That comment will inspire some eye rolls, but it serves Kill no purpose to pile on his quarterback. He's trying to nurture Leidner's development and hope a big payoff comes eventually.

But the gap between quarterback play on Saturday was night-and-day extreme, and that's where the Gophers must gain some ground. Or, at the very least, find more consistency.

Kill's refusal to accept the sugary notion of a moral victory also struck a right tone. Kill fumed afterward over a few mental breakdowns by his team.

"Don't get me wrong," he said. "They outgained us, and they've got great players. But we know we had opportunities."

That largely starts with a quarterback who can capitalize in those situations. Leidner's first interception came on an overthrow, a tendency for him.

His second pick came after the Gophers inexplicably lined up in an illegal formation on third-and-inches, which still had steam coming out of Kill's ears after the game.

On third-and-manageable, Leidner forced a throw to KJ Maye in traffic and the Buckeyes turned that turnover into a 31-14 lead.

"I thought for sure that was a touchdown," Leidner said. "That's definitely a play I would like back. That just can't happen by me. Same with turning the ball over. I've got to get better."

On the flip side, it's hard to imagine Barrett playing any better in relief of Braxton Miller, who probably has lost his job for good after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in fall camp.

How could Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer send Barrett to the bench next season if Miller returns? Barrett's four combined touchdowns increased his season total to 38, a school record.

"Earlier this season, we had no idea who he was," Meyer admitted. "I had no idea that this is what J.T. Barrett is. We have a very clear picture of who he is now." That picture looks something like this: Terrific runner, accurate passer, cool customer.

Barrett's 86-yard TD run on the second series was the longest ever by an Ohio State quarterback. The Gophers chased after him in futile pursuit.

The dude showed off his arm with a pinpoint pass to Jalin Marshall for a 57-yard touchdown later in the first quarter.

"You can't stop someone from making a perfect pass and you can't stop someone from running the ball," Gophers cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun said. "You can contain him. But trying to stop someone like that, it's extremely hard."

The Gophers didn't really do either — stop or contain the dazzling freshman — and that was the difference. Barrett put on a show in the snow. Leidner and the Gophers passing game took a snow day.