Justin Fields may not be a Heisman Trophy finalist this season, but he is playing like a man on a mission against Clemson.

In the first half of Friday’s College Football Playoff semifinal, Fields has been on fire, teaming up with Trey Sermon to lead the Buckeyes to 35 first-half points. While the numbers alone are dominant, how Fields got there is even more impressive.

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After throwing for two early touchdowns, Fields took a vicious hit from Clemson linebacker James Skalski on what appeared to be a third-down stop for the Tigers. As Fields remained down after the hard hit, Skalski was flagged and ejected for targeting once review upheld the call on the field.

Since that hit, Fields has been visibly fighting pain, even taking another shot to his side from a Clemson defender on one short run. Despite the pain, Fields added to his first-half total with two more touchdowns.

His last touchdown of the first half came with less than 20 seconds to go on a throw to tight end Jeremy Ruckert. It is the second touchdown for Ruckert:


Heading into the break, Fields is 16-for-18 passing for 223 yards and four touchdowns. He has also produced 50 yards rushing on seven carries.

Hopefully Fields is able to finish the game despite the bruises. Stay tuned after the game for an update to his status.