Ohio State fans have endured enough heartbreak from missed field goals to last a lifetime. And they’re not about to let Ryan Day fumble the kicker situation again in 2026. After watching Jayden Fielding struggle through a miserable 2025 season, Buckeye Nation is practically begging Ryan Day to find someone who can consistently split the uprights when it matters. And they’ve got their wish.

Connor Hawkins, Baylor’s kicker, just entered the transfer portal on Tuesday with a resume that’s got Ohio State fans flooding social media with desperate pleas. The portal deadline is closing in just two days, and Ohio State currently sits without a proven kicker on the roster. Connor Hawkins could be the solution that could turn a glaring weakness into a position of strength.​

Hawkins was a perfect 37-for-37 on extra points and made 18 of 22 field goals with a long of 54 yards in 2025. He was an incredible 3-for-4 from 50-plus yards on field goals, showcasing elite leg strength that college programs desperately need in today’s game. The rising redshirt sophomore was one of the few bright spots during Baylor’s disappointing 5-7 season. He earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention for his outstanding performance. Hawkins originally committed to Baylor as a three-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, ranked as the No. 17 kicker nationally with offers from Arkansas, Missouri, and Texas Tech.​

What makes Hawkins so appealing is his proven ability to deliver in clutch moments when the pressure is cranked up to eleven. On October 4 against Kansas State, Hawkins drilled a 53-yard field goal with just 31 seconds remaining to give Baylor a thrilling 35-34 victory. That kick came immediately after a go-ahead pick-six and was the second game-winning field goal of his freshman season. He’d also nailed the game-winner against SMU in double overtime earlier in the year. 

Then, in the regular season finale against Houston on November 29, Hawkins bombed a career-long 54-yarder, showing he’s got the range to be trusted from anywhere inside the opponent’s 35-yard line. His Kohl’s Kicking profile tells the story of a technically sound specialist with serious upside. He posted 13 out of 15 points on field goals at a 2022 ranking event and crushed a 73-yard kickoff with 3.43 seconds of hang time.​

With only a week until the portal deadline on January 16th, Ryan Day is running out of time to solve his kicker crisis. The situation is dire enough that some Buckeye insiders on social media are already predicting Ohio State to be the team to beat for Hawkins. Hawkins would walk into a starting job immediately with three years of eligibility remaining. The clock is ticking, and Buckeye Nation is pleading.​

Buckeye nation reaches desperation mode 

The reaction from Ohio State fans to Connor Hawkins’s decision to transfer has been nothing short of desperate. And you can’t blame them after what they’ve endured. One fan summed up the collective trauma, saying, “OSU needs a kicker – a good kicker and Day would have 2 more natties! The biggest fan base in college sports needs to all kick in $5 to get this guy!” 

That isn’t hyperbole when you consider how many crucial games have slipped through Ohio State’s fingers because of missed field goals. Jayden Fielding’s 27-yard miss against Indiana in the Big Ten Championship is still fresh in everyone’s minds.

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Another fan took an even more extreme stance, joking (maybe?), “Instead of paying my taxes this year… I think I’ll donate it to a noble cause.” The “noble cause” is getting Connor Hawkins to Columbus, of course. The desperation only intensified after Ohio State missed out on Cooper Ranvier, the other elite kicker in the portal who chose Tennessee instead. One supporter demanded, “Whatever it takes, @ryandaytime.” 

But perhaps the most telling reactions came from fans who’ve done the math on what Hawkins could be worth to the program. “You sir need to call Ohio State right now. Worth 19 million dollars. Cut the check @ryandaytime don’t wait til you lose another game on a chip shot FG,” one fan tweeted. Frankly, they should make it $20 million if it means no missed field goals for the next three years.

Another simply begged: “For the love of our Lord and Savior PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!! @ryandaytime.” That religious fervor over a kicker tells you everything about where Ohio State’s fanbase is mentally. Ryan Day has two days left before the portal closes on January 16th to land Hawkins and put Buckeye Nation out of its misery. Based on the fan reaction, if he doesn’t, it might be the most scrutinized decision of his entire offseason.​​