Every now and then in college football, we’ll witness something truly special. A moment, a game or a performance that a generation will talk about for the entire life.

Kirk Herbstreit thinks Justin Fields’ Sugar Bowl performance on New Year’s Day falls into that category. In a recent episode of the CFB Podcast with Herbie, Pollack and Negandhi, the College GameDay analyst said the outing from the Ohio State quarterback is one for the ages.

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Fields finished the game completing 22-of-28 passes for 385 yards and 6 touchdowns. But the real talking point was that Fields suffered an injury to his midsection after taking a vicious hit from Clemson linebacker James Skalski, and still managed to play a near-perfect game through intense pain.

Herbstreit says it’s a game we’ll remember for two decades or longer.

“You had a possessed football team on your hands that went through hell and back to get back into that position,” Herbstreit said. “That’s why, when Justin Fields got hit, unless he ruptured a spleen or he was spitting up blood. In my mind, there was no way, knowing that young man, that No. 1 was coming off the field even though he took that hit. I think that hit, and two plays later that touchdown, 20 years from now, that’s what Ohio State fans will remember. That’s what college football fans will remember, the will and the toughness of fields. To me, it kind of represent the entire Ohio State party that showed up to the Super Dome that night.

“When seasons pass and new seasons start, you tend to forget some things about games. But that aspect of this game will never be forgotten. Twenty years [from now], they’ll remember Dabo Swinney ranking Ohio State 11th, that’s what Ohio State fans will remember, and they’ll remember Justin Fields and the toughness that he showed to will his team to a victory.”

Fields was on a mission, and so were the Buckeyes. They cruised to a 49-28 victory over Clemson and will no play No. 1 Alabama with the national title at stake. It gives Fields a chance to add to his legacy.