Julian Sayin’s afternoon ended the way nobody in Columbus wanted to see it end.
In the middle of Ohio State’s showdown with Indiana on Saturday in Bloomington, the Buckeyes quarterback was forced out of the game. By the time FOX cameras caught up with him late in the fourth quarter, the picture was even more concerning: Sayin was coming out of the locker room with his right throwing arm in a sling.
The moment came with 3:35 left and Ohio State clinging to a 19-15 lead over No. 5 Indiana in a matchup between two top-5 teams.
Luke Fahey had taken over for Sayin, and the Buckeyes were trying to finish off a win that would avoid a second loss. They did exactly that, holding on for the 19-15 victory and handing the Hoosiers their first loss since the end of the 2024 season.
For Ohio State, the win matters. For Sayin, the bigger story is his status going forward, and that remains unknown for now. He was seen walking regularly from the locker room, but still with the sling on his right arm.
Sayin entered the day as one of the biggest names on the field. The junior quarterback finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting last season, which only added to the concern once he went down in a game this big.
And there’s no mistaking how large the result was beyond the final score. The outcome is expected to carry major weight in the College Football Playoff picture in December, with the Buckeyes and Hoosiers battling all the way to the finish in Bloomington.
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Luke Fahey, a freshman, is next in line to back up the offense while Sayin is sidelined, and the Buckeyes will have to navigate some tough upcoming games without their starting quarterback. At 6-1, Ohio State is still in solid position, but the margin for error gets a lot thinner now, especially with the kind of tests still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
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Ryan Days frustration was visible, too, with the head coach appearing displeased with Sayins performance on camera during the second quarter. It was the kind of sideline reaction that underscored how much weight is already attached to this start, especially when the offense is searching for a steadier hand and the margin for error feels thin. [Read more 🡒]