The Ohio State football team lost in the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Eve, ending 2025 in the worst possible way. Miami crushed the Buckeyes 24-14 in a game that they led the entire way. It was a very disappointing way for the Ohio State Buckeyes to end a season that saw them start 12-0.
Ryan Day deserves a lot of blame for how the season ended. Ohio State lost to Indiana because of a failure on the offensive end of the field. It was also another example of some poor field goal kicking by Jayden Fielding. Fielding missed a 28-yard field goal in the Big Ten Championship.
His woes didn't stop there. He missed another field goal in a big game, missing a 49-yard field goal in the Cotton Bowl. Fielding deserves a lot of blame for being a bad kicker, because that's what he's been with the Buckeyes throughout his career. But ultimately, Day put him out there.
Ryan Day failed the Ohio State football team by trusting Jayden Fielding
Fielding has never shown the ability to make kicks in big games. He missed two field goals against Michigan last year as well, which ended up costing them the game. Buckeye fans should rejoice that he is a senior, so he won't be missing field goals for them next season.
Day deserves a ton of blame for not making the decision to pull him off the field and not having a different kicker go out there. Ohio State certainly would have the opportunity to get a better kicker from the transfer portal, but they haven't really tried to do that.
This should be one of the top priorities for the Buckeyes heading into next season. If this is not addressed, Ohio State is going to keep losing close games. Other programs have a kicker that they can count on. Ohio State decidedly does not.