Ohio State having kicking competition after Jayden Fielding’s miss vs. Indiana

Coming off its first loss of the year, Ohio State is considering all options for its upcoming matchup with Miami in the College Football Playoffs. Specifically, the Buckeyes are considering a kicker change after Jayden Fielding’s notable blunder late in the Big Ten Championship Game.

While several factors impacted the loss, Fielding’s missed 27-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter was a massive turning point in the three-point defeat. Fielding will remain the starter, but head coach Ryan Day admitted that he has given an additional look at making a change with junior Jackson Courville.

“[Jackson Courville] kicked in practice during this time,” Day told reporters. “We’re gonna go with Jayden this game, but [Courville has] had an opportunity every day in practice to kick. We’ll keep a close eye on it, but we’re gonna go with Jayden to start the game.”

Ryan Day says Jayden Fielding will start at kicker for Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl- his last kick being a miss in the Big Ten Championship Game against Indiana pic.twitter.com/KVRwnwSQqd

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 30, 2025

Fielding is 16-for-19 on field goals in 2025 after going 13-for-17 in 2024. His 76.5 percent mark as a junior was among the worst in the country, and he has never made a field goal beyond 50 yards in his career.

Courville, however, does not have much more of a track record. The Centerville, Ohio, native transferred to the Buckeyes in 2025 after two years as a starter at Ball State, but he has yet to attempt a field goal with Ohio State. Courville is 4-for-4 on extra points in 2025, all coming in the team’s Week 2 win over Grambling.

While Ohio State’s special teams are a mess, Miami cannot feel much more confident in its kicker. Carter Davis has been solid for most of the year after surprisingly winning the job over former All-Big 12 kicker Bert Auburn, but he is coming off a putrid 1-for-4 game against Texas A&M.

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