Quarterback injuries have taken a serious bite out of the 2026 season, and the damage reaches well beyond the Heisman conversation. Ohio State, UCLA, Oregon and Mississippi State have all been hit hard, with top passers either done for the year or unavailable for the stretch run.
The latest setbacks came for Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor and Oregon’s Dante Moore, both of whom have been ruled out for the season. UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava and Pitt’s Mason Heintschel were already sidelined for the year, and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin may not be back at all.
Mississippi State looked like a team with real playoff ambition when Taylor was healthy. The Bulldogs started 4-0, Taylor was putting up big numbers and his name was popping up in Heisman chatter.
Then came the toe injury in a win over Missouri, and everything changed. He played hurt against Alabama, missed LSU and tried to return against Oklahoma, but he couldn’t finish.
Mississippi State lost all three of those games.
The numbers tell the story. In the four games Taylor was healthy, the Bulldogs averaged 43 points per game, including wins over South Carolina and Missouri. Since the injury, that figure has dropped to 12.7.
Oregon has felt a similar collapse since Moore went down in the first half of a win over USC. He entered the season as one of the Heisman favorites, and the Ducks were rolling early despite an upset loss to Oklahoma State.
Through the first four games, Oregon averaged 50 points and went 3-1. Yes, 84 of those points came against Portland State, but the offense was still humming.
Since Moore’s injury, the Ducks have averaged just 14 points per game and are 1-2.
The Ducks have already turned to two quarterbacks in Moore’s absence, and the offense hasn’t looked the same. Brock Thomas has provided some sparks, while Dylan Raiola was excellent for a quarter during the comeback win over Nebraska, his former school. Still, Oregon sits at 4-3 and faces a difficult finish.
UCLA has also been forced to change direction after Iamaleava suffered a torn ACL against Oregon. The Bruins were averaging 44.8 points in wins over Cal, San Diego State, Purdue and Maryland before that game. They beat Oregon 17-15, but the offense has since cooled off with 17 points against Wisconsin and 28 against Michigan State, with Ty Dieffenbach leading the way.
Ohio State’s situation is just as unsettled. Sayin had been in the Heisman mix with receiver Jeremiah Smith before a shoulder injury knocked him out indefinitely.
The Buckeyes survived the game against Indiana in which he was hurt, then got a bye week to regroup. Their first real test without him comes Saturday against USC, with Luke Fahey and Tavien St.
Clair in line behind center.
Pitt has taken its own blow after Heintschel tore the ACL in his right knee against Virginia Tech. He had led the Panthers to a 5-0 start and threw for more than 400 yards in two of his first four games. Since he went down, Pitt has dropped all three of its games, including a 52-23 loss to Miami.
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Ohio State Could Revisit A Familiar Ole Miss Transfer Path
The transfer pipeline from Oxford to Columbus has already worked once for Ohio State, and it could be a path worth watching again if Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy decides his future is elsewhere. Quinshon Judkins made the jump from Ole Miss to Ohio State in 2023 and quickly became part of the Buckeyes productive backfield rotation, giving the program a clear example of how a proven SEC runner can fit into its system.
Lacys shoulder injury has only added more uncertainty around his next move, with speculation swirling about whether he could eventually enter the transfer portal or even look toward the NFL Draft. For Ohio State, the interest is obvious if he becomes available, but for now it remains just that, a possibility rather than a pursuit, with the Buckeyes and everyone else waiting to see how his situation unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Got A New Warning About USC Trip
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For Ohio State, the lesson is less about copying Wisconsin and more about seeing a workable blueprint. USC still has the pieces to stress a defense in a hurry, but when the running game gets bogged down and Maiava feels pressure, the whole operation can stall. That gives the Buckeyes a useful warning before they walk into the matchup, because stopping the early rhythm may matter just as much as dealing with the explosive plays everyone expects. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Heads To USC With Two Defensive Questions Lingering
Ohio States trip to USC is arriving with a familiar kind of October tension: a big road test, a short turnaround and a growing injury list after the Buckeyes win over Indiana. The latest concern on offense is Julian Sayin, whose injury appears likely to end his season, but the defensive side is carrying its own uncertainty as Ryan Day tries to sort out who will be available in Los Angeles.
Jay Timmons and Kenyatta Jackson are the names that now hang over the matchup, with Day offering only an update that leaves their status up in the air. For a Buckeyes team that is still trying to keep its focus on the next opponent, the timing matters because USC is the kind of game where every available body on defense matters, and Ohio State may not know its full plan until later in the week. [Read more 🡒]