Ohio State’s quarterback question is suddenly front and center as the Buckeyes come out of their Week 9 bye and head to USC. With Julian Sayin likely out for the season, the job appears to be down to Tavien St. Clair and Luke Fahey.
St. Clair is the redshirt freshman in the room, while Fahey is a true freshman who has already spent the season as the backup. Fahey also filled in for Sayin during Ohio State’s Week 7 win over Indiana, which only sharpens the debate about whether he should get the first shot against the Trojans.
On paper, the easy pick is St. Clair.
Recruiting services loved him: 247Sports slotted him No. 4 overall and No. 3 among quarterbacks in the 2025 class. He brings the bigger frame too, listed at 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds.
Fahey’s recruiting profile doesn’t pop the same way. He’s listed at 5-foot-11 and 206 pounds, and 247Sports ranked him as the 38th quarterback in the 2026 class as a three-star recruit.
If this were only about recruiting pedigree, St. Clair would get the nod.
But college football doesn’t care much about star rankings once the season starts. Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 quarterback in the 2025 class, has already been benched, which is the kind of reminder that reputations don’t win games.
There’s also the matter of readiness. Fahey played at Mission Viejo High School in California, a program that competes in the state’s top division. He went against teams such as Mater Dei, and that level of weekly pressure may have better prepared him for what Ohio State is about to face.
St. Clair’s path was different.
He played at Bellefontaine High School in Ohio, a Division III program, so the level of competition he saw was not the same. That could be part of the reason he may not be ready to take over just yet.
Ohio State doesn’t need a quarterback to be the whole show. The roster has enough talent around him that the Buckeyes need steady play, good timing and smart decisions more than highlight-reel fireworks. Based on that, Fahey looks like the safer choice.
Since Ohio State has already trusted him as the No. 2 quarterback, the Buckeyes should trust him to start. Let Fahey run the offense and keep the job until he proves he can’t handle it.
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Ohio States quarterback room looks a lot different than the one fans expected to see heading into the season, and the ripple effects are hard to ignore. With starter Julian Sayin dealing with an injury, Ryan Day is expected to turn to true freshman Luke Fahey in the backup role, a move that instantly shines a light on just how young and unproven the depth chart has become behind center.
Former coach Urban Meyer has already raised the question many around the program are asking, wondering why five-star prospect Tavien St. Clair is not in position to back up Sayin despite his obvious talent. It is the kind of quarterback situation that can feel manageable in September and suddenly become a real concern if the Buckeyes need answers in a hurry, especially with a room made up mostly of true freshmen, redshirt freshmen and a senior transfer who has limited starting experience. [Read more 🡒]
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The night also carried a healthy dose of program history. Jon Diebler was back around the team, and former head coach Thad Matta was honored at halftime, adding some extra weight to an exhibition that already felt like more than just a warmup. For Ohio State, the performance offered reasons to feel encouraged, even if the bigger questions about how this group will mesh are still waiting to be answered when the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]