Ohio State was forced to make a decision when J.T. Barrett exited with a knee injury in the third quarter of this past season’s rivalry game at Michigan.
The Buckeyes made the seemingly obvious choice by putting backup quarterback Dwayne Haskins in the game, and Haskins saved the day, leading Ohio State to a comeback victory over the Wolverines.
Yet with the game on the line and Michigan holding a 20-14 lead at the time of Barrett’s exit, Ohio State considered turning to a quarterback who had never before played in a collegiate game.
While Tate Martell ultimately ended up redshirting his freshman season for the Buckeyes, the four-star recruit still traveled to every game, leaving open the possibility that he could play if the situation called for it.