Justin Fields Advises Ohio State to 'Remember This Feeling' from Alabama Loss

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields shared the advice he gave to some of his younger teammates Monday night following the Buckeyes' 52-24 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

According to Justin Holbrock of NBC4, Fields said he told the players: "I encouraged them to just get back to work and remember this feeling."

Alabama imposed its will on an OSU team that entered the game undefeated and was coming off a win over Clemson in the CFP semifinals. The Buckeyes had no answer for a Crimson Tide attack that rolled up 621 yards of total offense in the victory.

Fields, who threw for 385 yards and six touchdowns in the 49-28 win over Trevor Lawrence and Clemson, was no match for a Bama offense spearheaded by quarterback Mac Jones, running back Najee Harris and wide receiver DeVonta Smith, who was named Offensive MVP of the game to go along with his Heisman Trophy.

Fields went 17-of-33 for 194 yards with one touchdown through the air and rushed for 67 yards in the loss. Jones went 36-of-45 for 464 yards and five touchdowns to cap a spectacular season.

Although Fields has yet to make an official announcement, he looks like a strong bet to enter the 2021 NFL draft since he could get taken as early as No. 2 overall by the New York Jets after Lawrence presumably goes first to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

As a sophomore last season, Fields threw for 3,273 yards, 41 touchdowns and three interceptions, while adding 484 yards and 10 scores on the ground.

In a 2020 season that was shortened for Big Ten teams because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fields threw for 2,100 yards, 22 touchdowns and six picks, and rushed for 383 yards and five touchdowns.

It is difficult to envision Fields staying in school with those numbers, and if he does leave, head coach Ryan Day will be left with the gargantuan task of replacing him.

Ohio State figures to lose several key players to the NFL, as it does every year, but it will reload and bring back no shortage of quality contributors from this season's team as well.

What happened in Monday's game may be a learning lesson for many of those players, and it could better prepare them if they wind up on that stage again, which is clearly what Fields is hoping for.