Ohio State QB Julian Sayin to miss 'several weeks' after suffering injury in win vs. Indiana

With the veteran out, freshman backup QB Luke Fahey will likely be charged with keeping the Buckeyes' Big Ten title hopes and Jeremiah Smith's Heisman campaign afloat in the interim Oct 17, 2026 at 5:53 pm ET • 3 min read No. 4 Ohio State picked up a huge 19-15 win on the road over No. 5 Indiana on Saturday, but late in the fourth quarter the Buckeyes saw quarterback Julian Sayin leave the field after taking a big hit and return wearing a sling on his right arm. After the game, Ryan Day did not provide specific details on what injury Sayin sustained, but told reporters that Sayin will be out for "several weeks." The Buckeyes offense will turn to freshman backup Luke Fahey, who was 0-for-2 passing the ball after Sayin's injury. The Buckeyes also have sophomore quarterbacks Tavien St. Clair and Kolton Stover on the roster. The win over Indiana improves Ohio State to 6-1 on the season and provides them some needed cushion in the chase for a College Football Playoff berth. The Buckeyes have a well-timed bye week next week, but then face a challenging stretch of the schedule, starting on the road against No. 19 USC on Oct. 31, before hosting Oregon and No. 25 Northwestern the following weeks. If the Buckeyes are going to contend for a national championship, they will need Sayin back in the lineup, but they will look to lean on a dominant defense and an improved rushing attack from last year to lead the way in his absence. Sayin missing time could also have an impact on the Heisman Trophy race as well, where Ohio State star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was one of the frontrunners after a dominant first six weeks of the season. Smith had four catches for 68 yards and a touchdown against Indiana and now has 52 catches for 984 yards and 12 touchdowns this season, but will now need to maintain an incredible pace with a backup quarterback throwing him the ball.What are Ryan Day's options at QB?Now 6-1 with a top-five win on its resume, Ohio State has a little room for error in the race to the College Football Playoff. That said, if Sayin misses multiple games, the Buckeyes would be vulnerable against some formidable opponents.That's why Day needs to take the next couple of weeks to get a real handle on who should start against No. 19 USC on Halloween. To this point in the season, Fahey has been the first quarterback off the bench whenever Sayin has exited the game. That may be something of a surprise, given that Fahey is a three-star freshman who wasn't exactly a heralded recruit coming out of high school in Mission Viejo, California.Fahey was the No. 38 quarterback and the No. 46 prospect out of California in the 2026 signing class, per 247Sports. Listed at 5-foot-11 and 206 pounds, Fahey isn't the biggest quarterback, but 247Sports recruiting analyst Greg Biggins had high praise for Fahey in his scouting report. "Fahey is one of the most talented quarterbacks out West," Biggins wrote. "He's surgical from the pocket and can pick a defense a part with his accuracy and timing. Shows off a quick release, throws one of the tighter balls in the region and processes the game extremely quick. In terms of his ability to get through his progressions and reads, he's one of the more advanced signal callers in the country." Entering Saturday's game, Fahey had appeared in three games, throwing for 203 yards and a pair of touchdowns while completing nine of his 11 passes. The kicker is that both of Fahey's incompletions resulted in interceptions.Day also has a true blue-chip prospect at his disposal in St. Clair, a five-star prospect and the No. 4 overall player in the 2025 signing class, per 247Sports.St. Clair has served as the third-string quarterback this season, and he's attempted just nine passes at the college level. The most game action he's seen at this level came in Week 1 against Ball State, when he completed 5 of 6 passes for 52 yards and a touchdown. His only pass in mop-up duty against Kent State resulted in a pick. Despite his lack of experience, St. Clair has an impressive pedigree. St. Clair was a star at Bellefontaine High School in Ohio, and 247Sports Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins projected him as a future first-round pick with a comparison to ex-Ohio State star Justin Fields."Overall, should be viewed as a potential multi-year starter for a College Football Playoff contender that can distribute at a high level both inside and outside of the pocket after some fine-tuning," Ivins wrote. "Likely to eventually draw NFL scouts in with his build and power."Day has talent in the quarterback room, but the question is how he will split first-team reps between his two young quarterbacks over the next two weeks as he tries to determine which one is capable of leading the Buckeyes against the Trojans.