I think there’s probably something messy in Justin Fields right now. Halfway through the second quarter of the Ohio Football playoff game in the semifinal against Clemson, James Skalski, the Tigers’ lineout player launched with his helmet in the Buckeyes fullback, who demanded a target penalty and forced Skalski out.
Have you ever seen a YouTube compilation of knockout blows? They are very upsetting as boxers with iron fists are brought to their knees by wounds, you should see an x-ray. That’s what Fields looked like after being stabbed in the side with a lump of metal. And the pain clearly gripped him. He appears in anxiety while throwing routine to stay warm. He struggled to fit an exercise bike on the sidelines. He could barely move on the field, but his trademark escape is almost gone. “My ribs killed me the whole game,” Fields later told ESPN. He said he needed “Multiple shots” to stay in the game.
It seems obvious that Ohio State should place Fields. He was a seated duck behind an attacking line that did not have many beginners, and climbed against a defense that scored the second pockets in college football. It felt like the Buckeyes could cost their season – and Fields his future – by waving him out and grimacing.
But through the pain, Fields put together one of the best performances of college football of all time. He 22-out-28 for 385 yards with six touchdowns –four of which came after the hit. It seemed as if he could scarcely frighten without arousing waves of pain, and yet he teased his bruised body to throw a few touchdowns that traveled 50 meters into the air:
The state of Ohio participated in the Sugar Bowl on Friday as a seven-point underdog against Clemson. The Tigers have competed in four national championship games over the past five years, winning two; The state of Ohio has not been in a national title game since winning its first playoff game in 2014. Clemson full-back Trevor Lawrence had a flawless outing against Notre Dame, in which he covered more than 400 meters in total with three tackles; Fields put up a shaky performance against Northwest in which he passed just 12-of-27. Thanks to Fields ‘monstrous performance and the setback Trey Sermon’s 254 yards, the Buckeyes beat Clemson 49-28, which was the Tigers’ biggest loss since 2014. 11th in his ballot for his last coaches.
Fields’ heroic deeds are just the latest chapter in his ongoing rivalry with Lawrence. These two backs have always been set against each other and always will be. It was Lawrence against Fields in 2018, when scouts could not agree on who was the best high school recruiter in the country. (The 247Sports composite rankings, which compile a variety of recruiting figures into one rating, gave Lawrence a 0.9999 rating and Fields a 0.9998 rating.) This is Lawrence vs. Fields in April, when the two are expected to will compete to be the best pick the NFL draft. (It looks like Lawrence is almost certain to reach No. 1.) The college part of their rivalry has been skewed for a while: Lawrence won the national title as a true first-year student, while Fields remained on the bench in Georgia. (His tenure with the Bulldogs is best remembered for a hilarious bad point; Georgia, who have been through quarterbacks this season, certainly wish it had held him back.) Fields was transferred to Ohio State and played exceptionally – but has a rare, critical late interception in last season’s semifinal against Clemson.
But Fields probably just ended Lawrence’s college career with a beautiful blast. Clemson’s defense garnered 13 interceptions and only 11 overtaking tournaments during the first 11 games of the season. Then Fields selected the Tigers apart for six times, draw for the second most in any ball game. Fields had as many additions as possible. The state of Ohio picked up 639 yards total offense, slightly more than the 631 Joe Burrow and LSU that played against Clemson in the national title game last year. The Buckeyes averaged 8.87 yards per game, just shy of the most Clemson has ever allowed in a game under Swinney. (Florida State had 8.89 yards per game in a game in 2012.)
Clemson struck five times – and all five points were followed by Ohio State’s touch. At one point, the Buckeyes had five straight 75-yard touchdowns, something no other team has played in a game all season. Field position did not matter; Fields het.
Fields did not play as usual after the injury. He is usually a dynamic runner and had 53 yards on the ground when Skalski hit him. He actually lost recruits the rest of the way due to bags, and ends up with 42 rushing years. But the Fields we saw after the injury – a player who can take down one of the sport’s best defensive works with just one facet of his game – is the most impressive version of Fields we’ve ever seen.
Next for the Buckeyes is Alabama, who will be the Vegas favorite in the national championship game. Bama has put together a season that is one of the most dominant in the history of the sport. But given what Fields did on Friday, it’s clear the Buckeyes have a chance against anyone.
There’s probably something messy in Fields; a bone or organ may be in a certain place, it may not be. But there is also something inside him that could play him at an impossibly high level, even if he was experiencing tremendous pain. His beautiful and gruesome performance will live on forever in university soccer.