'I'm a Buckeye for life': Noah Ruggles speaks out after Ohio State football field goal miss
Just over two months after Ohio State ended its season with a College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Georgia, kicker Noah Ruggles sent out a final message to Buckeye fans.
As time expired against the Bulldogs in the Peach Bowl, Ruggles missed a 50-yard field goal attempt wide left to secure Georgia's place in the national championship game against TCU, beating Ohio State 42-41.
"If there is one thing I have learned from my journey it is no matter how dark life seems at times, moments of adversity have provided me an opportunity for unimagined growth, humility and appreciation," Ruggles said in an Instagram video Sunday.
He went on to share his gratitude to his coaches and teammates who "inspire him through my own trials," his family who has sacrificed, loved and supported him, and the people behind the scenes who "serve others selflessly."
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"I've witnessed the truth of Romans 8:28 and I'm humbled by how God rewards all things for the good of those who love him, but have been called according to his purpose," Ruggles continued. "From my very kick as a Buckeye to my very last, I put my faith in God, praying to give him all the glory. So I may not see what he is going to do next, but I've learned to trust him with all of it. I'm a Buckeye for life."
Noah Ruggles made history as an Ohio State kicker
Ruggles, a former North Carolina transfer, is one of the more decorated kickers in Ohio State history.
He has the No. 1 and No. 3 kick scoring seasons in school history, setting the single-season Ohio State record with a field goal percentage of 95.2%.
After averaging 10.3 points per game in 2021, ranked No. 1 among all college football kickers, Ruggles was named as a first-team All-American by ESPN and was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award.
Ruggles made 37 of his 41 field goal attempts in two seasons with the Buckeyes, including 17 of his 20 attempts in 2022.
Ruggles also missed only one of his 149 extra-point attempts in two seasons with Ohio State.
Before his time at Ohio State, Ruggles connected on 19 of 27 field-goal tries in three seasons with the Tar Heels from 2018-20, along with all 49 of his extra-point attempts.
Ohio State football schedule 2023
Here's what Ohio State's 2023 football schedule looks like.
Sept. 2: Ohio State vs. Indiana, Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana
Sept. 9: Ohio State vs. Youngstown State, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Sept. 16: Ohio State vs. Western Kentucky, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Sept. 23: Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana
Oct. 7: Ohio State vs. Maryland, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Oct. 14: Ohio State vs. Purdue, Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana
Oct. 21: Ohio State vs. Penn State, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Oct. 28: Ohio State vs. Wisconsin, Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin
Nov. 4: Ohio State vs. Rutgers, SHI Stadium, Piscataway, New Jersey
Nov. 11: Ohio State vs. Michigan State, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Nov. 18: Ohio State vs. Minnesota, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Nov. 25: Ohio State vs. Michigan, Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: OSU football kicker Noah Ruggles speaks out after field goal miss
