Is criticism of Ohio State’s kickers still fair after Connor Hawkins’ miss vs. Texas?

Ohio State led Texas 23-17 with under five minutes left on Sept. 12 in Austin. A 45-yard field goal from Connor Hawkins would have made it a two-score game and all but sealed a road win for the No. 1 Buckeyes. The kick went wide left. Texas scored the next 21 unanswered points and won 24-23.

That miss immediately revived an old Ohio State storyline: kickers failing in big moments. Ryan Day pushed back this week. He said it is unfair to lump Hawkins in with past special-teams problems and that the program still trusts him.

Here is the full picture—what happened Saturday, why the criticism exists, what Day actually said, and why the Buckeyes are sticking with their new kicker.

What Happened on the Missed Field Goal

Hawkins had already made three field goals that night (26, 30, and a 48-yarder) plus both extra points. Ohio State led 23-3 entering the fourth quarter. The offense stalled, Texas scored twice to make it 23-17, and the Buckeyes finally drove back into range.

With 4:16 left, Hawkins lined up from 45 yards. The kick sailed wide left. Texas then marched 73 yards for the winning touchdown with 25 seconds remaining. Ohio State had no timeouts and could not answer.

Day’s postgame assessment was blunt: “Today, we really played well for three quarters and didn’t play well enough in the fourth quarter. That’s the bottom line.” He specifically noted the missed chance to make it a two-score game: “Once that happened, they sustained some drives, certainly had a chance to kick the field goal and make it a two-score game and didn’t do that. This one hurts.”

The miss was not the only reason Ohio State lost. Conservative play-calling, stalled offensive drives, two unrecovered fumbles, and fourth-down conversions by Texas all mattered. But a make from 45 would have changed the math.

Why Ohio State Fans Immediately Blamed the Kicking Game

This is not a new complaint. Ohio State has a recent history of missed field goals in high-leverage spots:

• Jayden Fielding’s struggles in big games, including a short miss in the 2025 Big Ten Championship against Indiana
• Earlier misses against Michigan
• The 2022 Peach Bowl miss against Georgia that ended a title run

Fans have watched special teams cost or nearly cost games for years. Hawkins was brought in from Baylor precisely to change that reputation. When he missed a makeable kick that would have iced a massive road win, the old narrative returned instantly.

Who Connor Hawkins Is and Why Ohio State Signed Him

Hawkins transferred from Baylor after the 2025 season. At Baylor he went 18-of-22 on field goals (81.8 percent), including 3-of-4 from 50-plus yards with a long of 54. He was perfect on extra points (37-of-37) and had already made a 53-yard game-winner against Kansas State.

Ohio State special-teams coordinator Robby Discher and Day both praised his demeanor in the spring. Day called him “clutch” and noted he has made big kicks before. Hawkins is from Liberty Hill, Texas close enough to Austin that the miss happened in front of people who knew him.

On Saturday he was 3-for-4. The one miss was the one that mattered most.

What Ryan Day Said This Week

On Wednesday, Day was asked whether he still trusts the kicking game. His answer was direct: “Yes, I trust the special teams.”

He specifically rejected grouping Hawkins with previous kickers. Day said the miss should not be lumped in with “anything that’s happened in the past.” The staff believes in Hawkins based on what they have seen in practice, not just one night in Austin. Ohio State is sticking with him as the starter.

Day’s broader point was that the fourth-quarter collapse was a team failure—offense, defense, and special teams—not a single player’s fault. He has taken responsibility for the conservative approach that left the game in Hawkins’ hands late.

Is the Criticism Fair?

The case that it is fair: Ohio State has now lost another high-profile game in which a late field goal that should have been routine was missed. Pattern recognition is not irrational. Special teams have been a weak point under Day for years, and a 45-yarder with the game on the line is exactly the kick programs at this level expect to make.

The case that it is unfair (Day’s view): Hawkins is not Jayden Fielding. He arrived with a stronger résumé from distance and documented clutch kicks. One miss in his second game as a Buckeye does not erase that. He made three field goals earlier that same night, including from 48. Blaming him for a 20-point fourth-quarter collapse ignores stalled drives, play-calling, and defensive lapses.

Both things can be true at once: the miss was costly, and pinning years of kicking frustration on a new transfer after one night is sloppy analysis.

What Happens Next

Ohio State hosts Kent State on Saturday. Hawkins remains the kicker. Day has publicly backed him. The next time a mid-range field goal decides a close game, every Ohio State fan will remember Austin.

The larger question for the season is whether the Buckeyes can close games. They led 23-3 and lost. They have talent on both sides of the ball. Special teams will keep getting the spotlight until they stop being part of the reason games slip away.

Day is choosing to treat Hawkins as a new chapter rather than the latest chapter of the same book. The rest of the season will decide if that trust was earned.