Connor Hawkins knew this part of Texas long before he knew what it felt like to walk into Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium wearing scarlet and gray. The Ohio State kicker grew up in Liberty Hill, roughly 30 miles north of Austin, and spent his college years at Baylor before transferring to Columbus this offseason. His return to the state had a different meaning this time: the Texas native was on the other side, and with more baggage than one would expect from a specialist.
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Hawkins arrived after Jayden Fielding’s departure, bringing with him a Baylor résumé that included 18 made field goals in 2025 and three makes from beyond 50 yards. By Saturday night in Austin, though, Hawkins was no longer a new name on Ohio State’s depth chart. Sure, there was a spotlight now, but it came with Ohio State’s 24-23 collapse against Texas.
As the final whistle blew, fans flooded social media with severe and targeted online harassment toward Ohio State players and coaches. Despite the dim mood, the backlash prompted Ohio State University President Ravi Bellamkonda and Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther to release a statement condemning it.
As per Eleven Warriors, Bellamkonda said hateful comments directed toward the Buckeyes are “not the Ohio way.” Ginther, who was answering questions alongside Bellamkonda, shared: “These young people deserve to be protected. Coaches, the families, this is an incredible community. The reason we have such a special place is that we value each other and respect each other.”
Moreover, they declared that the Columbus Police Department will fully support the OSU Police Department in investigating any online harassment.
Much of the anger was targeted towards kicker Connor Hawkins.
He missed a 45-yard field goal with 4:16 remaining that would have extended Ohio State’s lead to six points. That played a major role in Ohio State’s strong start. The Buckeyes controlled much of the game in Austin, taking a 20-3 lead into halftime before extending it to 23-3 in the third quarter. Hawkins converted field goals from 26, 30 and 48 yards and made both of his extra-point attempts, accounting for 11 of Ohio State’s 23 points.
He was 3-for-3 before the late attempt, which went wide left with 4:16 remaining and Ohio State leading 23-17. Texas capitalized in the final minute, taking its first lead when Hollywood Smothers scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 25 seconds remaining. Ohio State’s final attempt to respond ended with an interception as time expired, sealing the Longhorns’ 24-23 win.
Some OSU fans publicly defended the team and coaches, expressing disappointment at the toxic hostility shown toward teenagers.
“I’m so disappointed to hear that has happened again,” one fan commented about her own experience as an OSU faculty member. “I was a TA at OSU, and one of my students received death threats when Ohio State lost to Texas in 2005. That should never happen. If you can’t support these college students, win or lose, you aren’t a true Buckeye.”
“Anyone that engages in this behaviour. Threats, fixing, etc. Grow the f**k up!! It’s a game played by 18- to 21-year-olds. Get a grip!, another fan said in anger.
This is not the first time something like this has been happening. After the 2024 Michigan loss, the fans pushed the toxic behavior to a dangerous level. It was their 4th consecutive loss against Michigan. Fans issued death threats and forced head coach Ryan Day to hire private security. He had to arrange for 24-hour armed police protection outside his family home to ensure their safety.
Day’s 16-year-old son, R.J., was explicitly targeted with death threats on social media. R.J. later shared that the harassment from grown men online and in public made the school environment incredibly hostile. The situation forced him to stay confined inside his house for three full weeks following the game.
Seeing all this happening again, another fan commented, “Embarrassing. The fans that do that s*** have never had a meaningful relationship in their life. We’re spoilt, and as a fan, I’m well aware of that fact.”
“Some fans and people need to get a life,” said a fan to support the Buckeyes. “Or maybe they don’t have one, and OSU football is their cope. Either way, grow up.”
It’s not just the head coach who faces threats; the young athletes also undergo immense hatred. After losing the Big Ten Championship game against Indiana, kicker Jayden Fielding faced intense backlash after missing a field goal. Fielding had been a highly reliable 15 of 17 on field goals entering the game. He unfortunately missed the kick wide left. Indiana retained the lead and secured the Big Ten title.
It was a very serious situation. Unknown individuals leaked Fielding’s personal cell phone number and his family’s home address online. Fielding and his mother were flooded with severe, threatening text messages and phone calls.
The situation grew so volatile that the Ohio State Police Department had to step in. University police kept in constant communication with Fielding and monitored his safety due to the severity of the threats.