Ohio State is something close to the ultimate blue blood in college football. Indiana has been a basketball school pretty much since its inception, and its football program is historically an afterthought. Hoosier head coach Curt Cignetti has completely turned the program around in his two seasons in Bloomington, and now he’s on the brink of doing the unthinkable and knocking off the Buckeyes in the Big Ten Championship Game.
No. 1 Ohio State was trailing No. 2 Indiana late in the fourth quarter of the conference championship game when their 15-yard, 81-yard drive stalled out, so they lined up for a short field goal to tie the game. Buckeyes kicker Jayden Fielding only had to make a 27-yard kick to even the score, but somehow he missed it badly wide left. Watch the video here:
In an era of NFL kickers regularly banging in 60+ yarders, it’s wild to think Ohio State — maybe the closest thing to an NFL team at the college level — had a kicker that completely biffed a 27-yarder in a key moment.
On the ensuing drive, Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza converted a key third down with a beautiful deep ball. Mendoza might have won the game and the Heisman Trophy with this throw.
We’ll update this post as it develops.
