Jayden Fielding Looks to Rebound After Big Ten Title Miss, Eyes Redemption in CFP
For the second straight season, Ohio State kicker Jayden Fielding heads into the College Football Playoff with something to prove - not just to fans or critics, but to himself and the teammates who continue to stand by him.
Last year, Fielding entered the postseason after missing two field goals in a narrow 13-10 loss to Michigan. Then, in the Buckeyes’ opening-round CFP win over Tennessee, he missed a difficult 56-yard attempt in frigid conditions. But he bounced back in a big way, drilling all four of his remaining field goal attempts in the playoffs - including a clutch 33-yarder in the final minute to seal the national championship against Notre Dame.
Now, as Ohio State prepares to face Miami in the Cotton Bowl quarterfinal, Fielding once again finds himself answering questions after another high-profile miss. This time, it was a 27-yard attempt in the Big Ten Championship Game against Indiana - a miss that mirrored the final score from last year’s Michigan game, 13-10. And just like last year, the scrutiny has been intense - only this time, it’s crossed a line.
Speaking during media availability ahead of the Cotton Bowl, Fielding revealed that after the loss to Indiana, his personal information - including his phone number and home address - was leaked. The threats that followed were serious enough to involve the Ohio State Police Department.
“I'd say it was probably worse this year than last year,” Fielding said. “I was constantly in contact with the OSU Police Department for my safety because they were worried about me, and my mom was worried about me. They were always in constant contact with me, making sure I was all right.”
It’s a stark reminder of the pressure kickers face at the highest level of college football. One swing of the leg can change the course of a season - and unfortunately, it can also bring out the worst in some fans.
But Fielding isn’t running from the moment. He owns the miss, understands the expectations, and knows exactly what’s at stake.
“There’s always consequences for your actions,” he said. “I gotta do my job, and it wouldn’t be a problem. So I know that, and it makes it a little bit easier to deal with that when you go out to practice every day and you go out there and make kicks.”
The miss against Indiana wasn’t just a mental lapse - it was a technical one. Fielding explained that the angle, from the right hash and close range, forced him to kick across his body.
The result? A pulled kick that sailed left.
“Toe came up and just swung across a little bit,” he said. “Those angles are a little tough for me. It’s pretty sharp from that close, so I think I just overcompensated.”
The frustration was visible. As the ball missed, Fielding dropped his head into his hands - the weight of the moment unmistakable.
But he’s not dwelling on it. With the CFP ahead, he’s focused on the next kick.
“Obviously disappointed. You always want to come through for your team,” Fielding said. “But I didn’t that day, and I gotta bounce back and do my job in the playoffs.”
And if history is any indication, Fielding has the tools to do just that. Before the Indiana game, he had converted 15 of 18 field goal attempts on the season.
For his career, he’s hit over 80 percent of his field goals (45-of-56) and has missed just one extra point out of 177 tries. That kind of consistency doesn’t just disappear - and Fielding knows it.
“I have a lot of confidence,” he said. “I’ve played for four years and I have really good stats over four years. I’ve always had confidence in myself, and that’s not stopping me.”
Still, the question lingers: Can Fielding deliver when the game is on the line? Most of his made kicks have come in lower-pressure situations - when the Buckeyes already had the lead.
But those moments don’t fully capture what a kicker is made of. It’s the tight, late-game situations that define legacies.
And while those moments can’t be replicated in practice, Fielding is doing everything he can to prepare for them.
“You just try and create as much pressure in your own head as you can,” he said. “And I think Coach Day helps me with that a lot, too. He’s always behind me yelling at practice, and he’s more intimidating than any crowd could ever be, to me at least.”
What also helps? Knowing he’s done it before. Fielding drilled two field goals in last year’s national title game, including a 46-yarder under the brightest lights college football has to offer.
“It’s always in the back of your mind,” he said. “You’re like, ‘I’ve done this before, I can go do it again.’”
And he’s not alone. Fielding’s teammates and coaches have had his back since the Indiana game. Several players made it clear that one missed kick doesn’t define a game - or a season.
“There’s more plays the defense could have made, there’s more plays the offense could have made, more plays on special teams we could have made,” said defensive end Caden Curry. “I mean, there’s not just one person that defines a game, so nothing’s wrong with Jayden.”
Head coach Ryan Day echoed that sentiment. While he didn’t sugarcoat the importance of doing your job, he emphasized that Fielding is still the guy for Ohio State - because they trust him to be.
“There’s a reason why we put him in there,” Day said. “We’re not putting guys in the game that we don’t believe in. So once we put you in the game, we believe that you’re going to do your job, and it’s your job to make sure that that gets done.”
That belief means everything to Fielding, especially after the backlash he’s faced.
“These guys, ever since I’ve been here, they’ve always been supporting me,” he said. “So they just continue doing that and they know what’s going to go on.”
The Cotton Bowl awaits. The pressure is real.
But so is the resolve. Jayden Fielding has been here before - and if Ohio State needs him to come through again, he’s ready to answer the call.