No. 9 Ohio State is counting its starting quarterback among the number of key injured players heading into the Big Ten Championship Game against Wisconsin, but its College Football Playoff hopes are still alive thanks to a 31-20 win at Michigan. It was the first time in series history that the Buckeyes trailed by 14 points or more and came back to win the game.

Urban Meyer improved to 6-0 in "The Game," while Jim Harbaugh dropped to 0-3 in the rivalry since being named Michigan's coach prior to the 2015 season. The Buckeyes rebounded from a slow start that included a 14-0 deficit and a negative yardage total at the end of the first quarter, a first in the Meyer era. Quarterback J.T. Barrett got the offense going with his legs, totaling 67 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries before leaving the game with an injured right knee in the third quarter. 

The FOX broadcast reported that Barrett had an "ongoing meniscus issue," and after getting taken to the locker room immediately, the Buckeyes' starter spent the rest of the game standing on the sideline with his teammates. 

J.K. Dobbins (15 carries, 101 yards, touchdown) and KJ Hill (two catches for 53 yards) broke loose on big plays to help the offense as redshirt freshman Dwayne Haskins took over for Barrett. Haskins was great, completing 6-of-7 passes for 94 yards and adding a couple of good designed runs that kept the defense honest after Barrett's exit. 

Haskins didn't have a ton on his plate, but he made some incredible throws in a clutch situation. This third-down toss to Austin Mack extended his first possession leading the offense. A few plays later, Dobbins scored the go-ahead touchdown put Ohio State up for good.

Four things to know about the win: 

1. Urban Meyer has called for an investigation into the incident that led to J.T. Barrett's injury: At the post-game press conference, Meyer told reporters that Barrett actually suffered his knee injury before the game when his leg was hit by a cameraman on the field. "I'm just so upset with myself it was a non-football injury," Meyer said. "Too many damn people on the sideline. And a guy with a camera hit him in the knee -- I'm gonna find out who -- and uh think about that. So uh, I'm so angry right now I gotta move on -- that I let that happen." Barrett later demonstrated what happened for everyone to see. Neither Barrett nor Meyer alleged nefarious intentions immediatel,y but the Ohio State coach will likely ask the Big Ten to review the matter. 

2. Don't expect much information on Ohio State's QB situation soon: Meyer didn't want to speculate on Barrett's health or status for next Saturday's game against the Badgers. For what it's worth, Barrett said that he thinks he'll be healthy enough to play after a week of treatment. If history is any indication, Meyer won't announce either quarterback as the starter until the first-team offense takes the field. Since Haskins poses a slightly different threat as a passer and played well, Ohio State could exploit an advantage in the unknown with a new wrinkle in Wisconsin's preparation. 

3. Barrett wasn't the only significant injury for Ohio State: Meyer was complimentary of the tailbacks and the offensive line after the game, noting that their high level of play helped allow Haskins to thrive during the second half. The offensive line play was particularly impressive considering both right tackle Isaiah Prince and left tackle Jamarco Jones had to be helped off the field with injuries during the game. The headlines will surround the quarterback position, but pay attention to the status of those veteran offensive lineman as we count down the days to that Big Ten title game. 

4. Ohio State's path to the College Football Playoff clears up: Three years ago, another redshirt freshman came off the bench in a time of need and led a 59-0 rout of Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game to propel the Buckeyes into the playoff and onto the national title. If Ohio State is going to break in as the first two-loss playoff team of the CFP era, another impressive win against Wisconsin would go a long way in validating its worth as one of the four best teams in the country. Beating Wisconsin by any margin would immediately be the best win on the profile, and beating Wisconsin by a lot could make that blowout loss at Iowa a distant memory in the eyes of the selection committee members. 

Catch up on our blog from the game. If you are unable to view the updates and highlights below, please click here.

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