With Ohio State’s season opener just four days away, Ryan Day still isn’t ready to hand the backup quarterback job to Tavien St. Clair.
That’s the biggest wrinkle hanging over the Buckeyes as they prepare for Ball State on Saturday. Julian Sayin is the starter, but the question behind him remains unsettled, even though St.
Clair entered the offseason as the obvious choice for No. 2.
The expectation around St. Clair was easy to understand.
He arrived as the No. 7 overall prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, and last season he was already Ohio State’s No. 3 quarterback behind Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz, who is now the starter at Louisville. On paper, that looked like a clean path to the backup role.
But Luke Fahey has forced his way into the conversation. Day said two weeks ago that St.
Clair hadn’t wrapped up the job, and he pointed to Fahey’s push by saying he was “putting a lot of pressure on Tavien.” That battle has carried into this week, with Day confirming Tuesday that both quarterbacks will keep splitting reps with the second-team offense.
“We're going to let those guys continue to split reps with the twos this week and see how the week goes. And if we can get them both reps in the game, we'll try to do that. We'll just kind of see how the game goes,” Day said.
That setup gives Ohio State a real chance to get both of them on the field against Ball State, especially with the Buckeyes favored by 50.5 points. If Ohio State gets out fast, there should be plenty of room in the second half to work through the depth chart. Day also said Tuesday he wants to play depth at a lot of positions, and the early part of the schedule offers a rare chance to do that before the opportunities dry up.
That matters because after Ball State and Kent State, the Buckeyes move into tougher territory. By the time they head to Texas next week for their second game, they’ll need a clearer answer on who is next in line if Sayin goes down.
Fahey’s surge is notable because he’s doing this as a true freshman. That says something good about how quickly he’s adjusted.
It also leaves Ohio State with some lingering questions about St. Clair - both about whether he’s ready to play this season and whether he’s the quarterback the Buckeyes would turn to in 2027 if Sayin heads to the NFL draft.
St. Clair still feels like the likeliest second quarterback to enter Saturday’s game. But that spot isn’t locked down yet, and he’ll need to show it on the field if he wants to hold onto the No. 2 job for the rest of the season.
In Other News...
Julian Sayin Faces One Big Test In Ohio State Year 2
Julian Sayin is heading into his second season as Ohio States starter with the kind of expectations that come with wearing the job in Columbus. After a strong freshman year, he has spent the offseason drawing praise from Ryan Day and teammates for the progress he has made in mobility, leadership and physical development, all of it pointing to a quarterback who looks more comfortable taking command of the offense.
Now the attention shifts from offseason optimism to September reality, with the opener against Ball State serving as the first chance to show how much of that growth carries onto the field. Sayin already proved he can handle the spotlight once, but Year 2 often brings a different level of scrutiny, and for Ohio State the early signs from its quarterback will matter as much as the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Has A Freshman Receiver Battle Fans Need To Watch
Jerquaden Guilfords road to Ohio State has already made him one of the more intriguing names in the Buckeyes 2026 class. The five-star wideout originally committed to Penn State before backing off that pledge, and Ohio State had to hold its ground through coaching changes and a tough recruiting stretch to keep him in the fold. Since arriving, Guilford has reportedly turned heads in preseason camp, which only adds to the buzz around a receiver group that continues to stockpile talent.
Chris Henry Jr. and Brock Boyd are part of that same conversation, giving Ohio State a freshman battle worth following closely once the season gets rolling. The Buckeyes have no shortage of options at wideout, but the challenge now is separating promise from production and figuring out which young receivers are ready to carve out a real role. Guilfords camp showing suggests he is at least in the mix, and the competition among that trio could end up shaping the early depth chart in a meaningful way. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Opens With Unexpected Pressure On One Buckeyes Quarterback
Ohio States season opener against Ball State has a little more intrigue than a routine September tune-up usually carries, because the backup quarterback picture is already taking shape. Ryan Day has said the Buckeyes expect both Tavien St. Clair and Luke Fahey to see the field if the game goes the way it is supposed to, giving the staff an early look at two young passers behind the starter and a chance to keep building depth before the schedule gets tougher.
For St. Clair, the spotlight comes with a bit of pressure. Once viewed as a major quarterback prospect, he enters the opener trying to steady his standing while Fahey has gained momentum in fall camp and pushed himself into the conversation for the future. How Ohio State handles those reps against Ball State should say plenty about where the backup job stands right now, even if the bigger answer for this season is still waiting down the road. [Read more 🡒]