Ohio State saw its Big 10 Championship hopes veer wide left of the goalposts Saturday against Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.
The No. 1 Buckeyes trailed the No. 2 Hoosiers 13-10 and had 4th-and-1 at Indiana’s 9 with under three minutes left in the game. Instead of going for a high-risk fourth-down conversion, Ohio State opted to play it safe with a field goal. The decision did not turn out to be as safe as head coach Ryan Day had hoped.
The field goal attempt was supposed to be a gimme for Ohio State kicker Jayden Fielding, who just needed to convert on a 27-yard kick to tie the game. Instead, Fielding went a few feet to the left of the goalposts, all but sealing an Indiana win in the title game.
OHIO STATE MISSES THE FIELD GOAL 😱
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 7, 2025
INDIANA STAYS ON TOP pic.twitter.com/QOjPJBgQvO
Fielding entered the game 15/17 (88.2%) on field goals this season and a perfect 53/53 on extra point tries. The short kick he missed was not far off from the usual PAT distance.
The missed kick wasn’t the only play that doomed Ohio State. The Buckeyes similarly had the ball within 10 yards of the end zone during their previous possession, but turned it over on downs on a play that was overturned in favor of the Hoosiers.
It’s not the first time Fielding has succumbed to the pressure of the moment. The Ohio State kicker suffered an even worse meltdown last season against Michigan.
Indiana held on for the 13-10 win, securing its first Big 10 championship in 58 years. The victory was also the Hoosiers’ first over the Buckeyes in nearly four decades.
