Justin Fields Rewrites His CFB Legacy in Ohio State's Revenge Win vs. Clemson

It hurt to watch. Every throw. Every grimace. Every time he reached for his injured right side. Every moment he gingerly positioned himself on the exercise bike in an attempt to stay loose. 

A helmet to the ribs. It looked as painful as it sounds, and that's precisely how Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields ended up on the Mercedes-Benz Superdome turf in agony on Friday.  

In the first half of the Sugar Bowl, a College Football Playoff Game that the Buckeyes were suddenly gaining control of, uncertainty filled the largely empty stadium.   

In that moment, as Fields struggled to catch his breath, his night, season and college career looked to be over. What happened next, as painful as it might have been to watch—and certainly far more painful for Fields to endure—is something the sport will remember and celebrate in the years to follow.  

That was not what the script had originally intended for this College Football Playoff game. This night was not supposed to be about Fields. This night was supposed to be about future No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence—another elite high school quarterback from the state of Georgia in the class of 2018. 

His last stand before heading to the NFL. The possibility of yet another Clemson-Alabama rematch after the Tide took care of business against Notre Dame earlier in the day in the other semifinal. Dabo Swinney, having ranked Ohio State No. 11 in his latest Coaches Poll, continuing onward in the tournament with a bull's-eye on his back.    

And then, discomfort be damned, there was Fields. In unfathomable pain, obviously limited, and still completely overwhelming.  

Butch Dill/Associated Press

Ohio State, a touchdown underdog, throttled Clemson 49-28. The Buckeyes indeed got the revenge they were seeking after falling to the Tigers 29-23 in last year's Fiesta Bowl. In doing so, they racked up 639 yards of offense. They moved the ball with ease for most of the night, connecting on more than a handful of big plays. 

Fields was responsible for most of those. And although he played the majority of the game injured, he still accounted for 385 passing yards, 42 rushing yards and six touchdowns. 

He had as many incompletions as passing touchdowns. That's worth repeating: He had as many incompletions as passing touchdowns in a College Football Playoff game.  

He threw one interception that was tipped shortly after it left his hand. He missed a handful of throws. He wasn't perfect; he was close to it.  

His two deep touchdown passes in the second half were perfectly placed—throws that undoubtedly caught the attention of NFL scouts looking at this game and the junior's potential.  

After leaving the game for only one play following the hit the resulted in the ejection of Clemson linebacker James Skalski, Fields completed five of his next six throws for 60 yards and a touchdown.  

The rest of the game? He completed 11 of his 16 throws for 222 yards and four touchdowns.  

"That hit really took a toll on me," Fields said on the broadcast after the game. "My ribs were killing me pretty much all game. What pushed me through was the love for my brothers. I would do anything for these guys." 

Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

For Ohio State, this was a night that almost never happened. The Buckeyes played only six games during the regular season, which culminated in a hard-fought win over Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship Game.

The lack of games, which was the result of COVID-19 cancellations, created an interesting discussion for the College Football Playoff committee. Despite the limited resume, Ohio State still was named the No. 3 seed. 

With Ohio State dominant at times and mortal in others, the Buckeyes' limited stumbles largely paralleled Fields' performance this year. For much of the season, he was exceptional. But down the stretch, headlined by his zero-touchdown, two-interception performance against the Wildcats, there were struggles. 

In that game, Fields injured his thumb. This was supposed to be the injury to watch against Clemson. As it turns out, this was nothing compared to what was coming.  

The euphoria of leading the Buckeyes to the national championship for the second time in the playoff era will likely morph to pain and questions about Fields' health status moving forward.

The task will not get any easier from here. Ohio State will play Alabama, the best team in college football, on January 11 in the national championship at Hard Rock Stadium. Fields will have more than a week to heal before facing one of the greatest offenses the sport has seen led by the greatest coach to ever pace a sideline.

Yes, there is work to be done. And yes, the next obstacle for the Buckeyes is even more daunting than the one it conquered in New Orleans. 

His progress will likely be the key storyline leading up to the game. Given his performance and what he meant to his team Friday night, it's not hard to see why.

Regardless of how Ohio State performs against Alabama, however, Fields' evening is one that will be talked about in Columbus for years to come. On the heels of one of the greatest quarterback performances in playoff history, college football will remember this night. 

We will remember the hit—the visual of a helmet crashing into Fields' ribs at full speed. We will remember his facial expressions in the moments that followed and the way the camera captured his every anguish as he searched for normalcy that never arrived. We will then remember what somehow happened next.  

The long touchdown throws. The way he, despite the limitations, took apart one of the best teams in college football. It was not the script we were expecting, but it was the one we were given. And although it was hard to watch, for those envisioning the pain and what it must have felt like, what a night it was.