COLUMBUS, Ohio -- J.T. Barrett worked his eyes across the field left to right and on his third read saw Terry McLaurin on a slant in the end zone. McLaurin had a cornerback right behind him and a linebacker lurking in front and Barrett ripped the throw anyway and missed, a diving McLaurin unable to haul in the incompletion.

One play later, Barrett looked left and lofted a ball to the back corner of the end zone to 6-foot-4 Ben Victor, who had single coverage. Victor broke inside, though, and as soon as the play ended, Barrett strode toward Victor with purpose, motioning with his hands about a clear miscommunication or misread in the red zone.

Even Barrett's misses on Saturday were the right kind of misses with the right kind of attitude. The passes that were completed?

They were plays that in fact will work against Penn State in three weeks. The J.T. Barrett you saw in a 62-14 win over Maryland, that J.T. Barrett will beat Penn State.

Barrett was 20-of-31 for 261 yards and three touchdowns before taking a seat midway through the third quarter. He led 10 drives, which ended with six touchdowns, two missed field goals, a J.K. Dobbins fumble and one punt.

But against overmatched opponents, the way to read Barrett isn't on stats, not when so many big numbers can be created through so many little throws. If the last three weeks were about the gradual expansion of the passing game, this week was about the rising confidence of a fifth-year quarterback who too often is thwarted by his caution and undone by his understanding.

Barrett is a quarterback who knows so much, he's aware of all that can go wrong on every play against every coverage. You saw those in the double-pumps a year ago, in the throws never made.

He is step by step, in his final season, moving away from that quarterback.

"Just go out there and not be timid, be confident in our guys and let it rip," Barrett said after the win. "Those guys came here to make plays, so let them go make plays. So I think it's all coming together."

In the first quarter, on his fifth pass, Barrett squeezed a throw into Johnnie Dixon, who turned and raced away for a 35-yard gain. A second defender flashed across the route just behind the throw, making it look like an interception had been barely averted and drawing some oooh's from the crowd.

With Barrett, you don't worry about him throwing into coverage. You worry about him when he doesn't.

Defenders in the area of a Barrett completion are a positive sign and one of the reasons this progress is real, a point I've been making for at least the three last weeks.

* Why Ohio State's passing game is really improving

Over the last two weeks, Ohio State outscored Rutgers and Maryland 118-14. Over the last two years, in four games the Buckeyes have outscored the two newest conference members 238-17.

All together now -- Thanks, Delany.

Not much of a test. But it's not just about tough defenses. It's about tough throws. The offense didn't take the easy way out Saturday.

Beyond the throws he fired through coverage, Barrett lofted multiple 50-50 balls and gave his receivers chances to make plays. Those are the throws when a receiver has one-on-one coverage against a defensive back, and all a quarterback wants to do is trust his target and put the ball where he can get it.

The Buckeyes didn't complete all of those, but they hit enough. They didn't hit a true deep ball, but Barrett found Austin Mack in the back of the end zone on one throw from the 27 and all that prevented a touchdown was a pass interference penalty.

The longest throw was a 53-yard catch and run to Mike Weber out of the backfield. He was wide open and the throw wasn't difficult. But how did it happen?

Ohio State ran a play that has worked so many times this season, with two receivers crossing on short routes and a third receiver settling behind them in the middle of the field. The Buckeyes have scored three touchdowns on the call, but they also knew defenses would eventually adjust. First-year quarterbacks coach Ryan Day brought that play to Columbus, and he was happy for anything that worked again and again.

Do that, and you can build on it. This time, a Maryland safety moved toward the middle on that play, Weber was uncovered and 53 yards were there for the taking.

The Buckeyes had a quarterback ready to take it.

"If anything just being confident," Barrett said. "It's all been a process, gaining confidence with receivers. Them being in the right spot, me believing in them. That's something that takes time, and we needed games to really enhance that."

Not everything was perfect Saturday. The special teams are a mess and two starting cornerbacks, Denzel Ward and Damon Arnette, were ejected for committing targeting penalties.

But it starts with the quarterback. Ohio State visits Nebraska next week then is off before hosting Penn State on Oct. 28.

Barrett is ready. Saturday, he threw with as much confidence as he ever has. That doesn't mean he'll complete everything. That means he's willing to make the throws needed to beat a top-10 opponent.

Get that quarterback in three weeks, and the Buckeyes will win.