Ohio State’s quarterback picture has turned into a real crossroads after the Buckeyes’ 41-28 loss to Oregon, a defeat that left Ryan Day’s offense searching for answers and likely shut the door on any College Football Playoff hopes.
Without Julian Sayin, Ohio State hasn’t looked like the same team. The Buckeyes couldn’t match the spark they had when Sayin was healthy, and after falling behind early against Oregon, they never truly found their footing. Luke Fahey did manage to clear 300 passing yards for the first time in his young career, but the production didn’t translate into enough firepower to keep Ohio State in the fight.
That leaves Day with a decision to make, and the depth chart behind Sayin is thin but interesting.
Here’s how the room currently stacks up:
- Julian Sayin (out)
- Luke Fahey
- Tavien St.
Clair
4.
Justyn Martin
St. Clair is the name that jumps off the page.
A five-star recruit and the No. 2 quarterback in his class according to 247Sports, he arrived in Columbus with major expectations and has spent most of his first year waiting his turn. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound freshman redshirted, then flashed a little of what made him such a coveted prospect when he got into the Ball State game in September, going 5-of-6 for 52 yards and a touchdown in a blowout win.
He’s the one who seems destined to take over at some point. The question is whether Ohio State decides to speed that process up in the coming weeks.
Martin is also in the room, but he doesn’t look like a realistic answer to the current problem. The former four-star has appeared in six games over five college seasons, spending time at UCLA and Maryland before arriving at Ohio State for his fifth and final year. He hasn’t thrown a pass since 2024 and has only one start on his résumé.
Fahey, meanwhile, remains the starter for now, but the leash may be getting shorter. He’s only a freshman and still has plenty of upside, yet his inability to consistently connect with his top targets - especially Jeremiah Smith - has stood out, particularly when measured against Sayin’s efficiency. Day stuck with him through the Oregon game, but the next move feels like it could be less about winning now and more about finding out what Ohio State really has.
The numbers without Sayin tell part of the story. Ohio State is 0-2 without him, compared with a 6-1 record with him.
The Buckeyes have averaged 423.5 yards per game and 23.0 points per game without Sayin, while the passing game has actually climbed to 310.0 yards per game. With Sayin, Ohio State was putting up 476.3 yards and 33.7 points per game, with 286.7 passing yards per game.
Sayin’s absence traces back to the injury he suffered late in the Buckeyes’ 19-15 win over Indiana on Oct. 17. He was hurt on a sack, went down hard, and later returned to the sideline with his right arm in a sling.
Day offered a positive update on Sayin a few days ago, saying the injury is healing. He still wouldn’t give a firm return date, saying, “it’s not gonna be next week or next month.” He had already said Ohio State was preparing to be without Sayin for the rest of the season.
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Jeremiah Smiths frustration during Ohio States loss to Oregon was hard to miss, and it came in a game that already carried major weight for the Buckeyes playoff hopes. Even in defeat, Smith was one of the few bright spots, finishing with seven catches for 133 yards and a touchdown, but the bigger takeaway was how visibly the moment seemed to wear on one of the teams most important playmakers.
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For the Buckeyes, the margin for error has shrunk to the point where every conference result matters, even games they are not playing in. Day also said quarterback Julian Sayin is still recovering from elbow surgery and will not be back soon, leaving Ohio State to keep sorting through its own health questions while the bigger picture in the Big Ten keeps shifting around it. [Read more 🡒]
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