Ohio State’s kicking issues from the Jayden Fielding era are still fresh enough that Buckeye fans probably don’t need a reminder. Fielding became a lightning rod for missed chances, and now he’s trying to write a new chapter in college football.
According to Pete Nakos of On3, Fielding is pursuing a fifth season after the courts ruled that players from the 2022 class can receive another year of eligibility. That ruling has opened the door for a wave of players to take another look at their futures, and Fielding is among them after going undrafted this past April.
The appeal is obvious from his side. An NFL path was already looking unlikely, and the CFL may have been the only realistic professional option for him. If he can land on a roster before the season begins, he still has a shot to keep kicking at the college level.
What won’t be happening is a return to Columbus. Ohio State already addressed the position by bringing in Connor Hawkins through the Transfer Portal, and the Buckeyes clearly view him as a more dependable answer than Fielding ever was.
Fielding’s résumé at Ohio State is hard to forget for the wrong reasons. He missed two kicks against Michigan in 2024 in a game the Buckeyes lost. He also missed a 28-yard field goal late in the Big Ten Championship Game that could have tied things up, and he had another miss against Miami in the Cotton Bowl.
For Buckeye fans, those misses left a mark. The thought of Fielding resurfacing somewhere else has even sparked one especially easy-to-picture scenario: Michigan. If he does find a new home, Ohio State fans would likely prefer to see him wearing anyone else’s colors, even if it’s not against TTUN.
At the moment, though, nothing is settled. The eligibility ruling has created a scramble, and super seniors across college football are trying to find open spots on rosters that are already largely filled. Fielding is one of the players caught in that chaos.
Ohio State’s own roster is pretty full, but there’s still a chance the Buckeyes could add a player or two who gained extra eligibility. If they do, it would most likely be someone who was undrafted and looking for one more college opportunity.
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