Indiana defensive lineman gloriously pulls down wild Justin Fields interception
What a play from Hoosiers DL Jerome Johnson.
It wasn’t Justin Fields’ first interception against Indiana on Saturday — it wasn’t even the junior quarterback’s first interception in the first quarter — but it was certainly a frenzied and memorable one.
No. 3 Ohio State hosted the No. 9 Hoosiers at the Horseshoe in Columbus, and Indiana’s defense came to play and got off to a strong start against one of the best offenses in the country. Sure, it took the Buckeyes just two plays to score their first touchdown of the game, but on the next drive, Fields threw his first interception of the season in his fourth game so far.
Still early in the first quarter, Hoosiers junior defensive back Jamar Johnson picked off Fields and returned it for 33 yards to Ohio State’s 44-yard line. Unfortunately for them, however, they couldn’t convert the turnover into points.
But this wasn’t the wild interception we’re talking about.
Two drives after Fields’ first interception, he threw another one — though it was totally unclear how this play would end. On 1st-and-10 from the 50-yard line, Fields was facing pressure and scrambling to find an open receiver when he launched the ball toward junior wide receiver Chris Olave near the 40-yard line.
Indiana’s defense broke the pass up, but Olave still managed to get his hands on the the ball. But it bounced right back out, and the Hoosiers bobbled it around (for what felt like forever) until senior defensive lineman Jerome Johnson pulled it down and fell on it.
But yet again, Indiana was unable to get on the board on the next possession.
In the 2019 regular season, Fields threw just one interception and finished with three total on the year. But at least in the first half against the Hoosiers, the junior quarterback seemed thrown off his passing game.
Fields finished the first half completing 11-of-17 passes for 193 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions. He also had a rushing touchdown, giving Ohio State a 28-7 halftime lead.