Not my “own” evidence, my friend. It’s all the evidence on Padilla for the entire 2022 season. Ohio State and Nebraska happen to be the only apples to apples comparisons we have available for the two quarterbacks, and Padilla was statistically better. Just not better enough to get QB1’s union card revoked.
Also, you downplay the eye test, but it matters when evaluating a QB. People watch Padilla go out there and move in the pocket, avoid multiple sacks, and throw a catchable ball that gets dropped. Then they see Petras take a sack for -12 yards on a similar play. The former goes down as an incompletion for Padilla, contributing to that 49% completion percentage that you like to reference. The later, is not recorded as a passing statistic.
Also it’s worth noting that at one point late in the Nebraska game, Padilla had brought us back into the game and had completed nearly 70% of his passes. Then his passing % fell off towards the end due to a combination of drops, and forcing the ball down the field to overcome the remaining deficit with minimal time left. My brother and I correctly predicted that some people would look at his final passing statistics and say “seE hE’S NoT bETter ThAn PeTrAS, hE onLY cOmPLETed 50% oF His PASses!!” Lol
For what it’s worth, I agree with you that Labas should have had more time this season and may have been better than both of them.