Justin Fields Injures Thumb Against Northwestern

The Ohio State quarterback admitted after the game how hard it was for him to throw the ball in the second half because of a thumb injury.

Justin Fields didn't have his best game as an Ohio State quarterback on Saturday, but Trey Sermon's legendary, record-breaking performance lifted the Buckeyes to a Big Ten title, anyway.

Fields never really got into a good rhythm against a stingy Wildcat defense. He completed only 12-of-27 passes for 114 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. 

When the Buckeyes committed to running the ball after halftime, Fields completed just 3-of-7 passes in the second half for 13 yards.

"I think it might be sprained," Fields said on FOX after the game. "I'm not sure, I'll probably get an X-ray on it or something like that, but I was just trying to finish out the game."

“I don't want people to look at my thumb as an excuse,” he later told reporters.

As the quarterback for the Buckeyes, Fields is always under the public magnifying glass. If he had a hang-nail, the country would probably know about it. But it's fair to point out that he wasn't at his best today because he said he really couldn't throw the ball—to the point where he actually told Ryan Day as much. 

If the injury lingers, it might be a bad omen for Ohio State, who went through something similar with Fields last year. The Buckeyes quarterback sprained his MCL against Penn State, which lingered into the postseason and limited his effectiveness in the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff.

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Game Observations: Ohio State Defense vs. Northwestern

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Eddie George Congratulates Trey Sermon on Breaking Ohio State Rushing Record

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