Ohio State got the result it needed in Bloomington, but the bigger story left the field with Julian Sayin.
The Buckeyes pulled out a 19-15 win over Indiana on Saturday, surviving a game that was brutal in more ways than one. Indiana’s 22-game win streak ended in painful fashion, and Ohio State left with victory mixed with real concern about its starting quarterback.
The turning point for Indiana came late, when the Hoosiers faced a fourth-and-4 at the Ohio State 27. Down five, they chose aggression over settling for the first down.
Josh Hoover dropped back and found a wide-open Nick Marsh down the sideline, hitting him in stride. The play looked like the kind that could flip the game - until Marsh’s left foot landed out of bounds.
He seemed to know it right away, and the reaction said everything.
For Ohio State, the immediate emotion was relief. But that quickly gave way to uncertainty after Sayin went down earlier in the fourth quarter with an apparent right arm injury.
After absorbing a violent hit from Indiana’s Mario Landino, Sayin was seen heading to the locker room with his right arm hanging at his side. A few minutes later, he returned with his arm in a sling.
With Sayin out, true freshman Luke Fahey took over, and the Buckeyes’ offense froze. Ohio State failed to pick up a first down after Fahey entered the game, and the unit never found any rhythm.
The win still mattered plenty. Ohio State avoided a second loss, got revenge on Indiana for last season’s Big Ten Championship, and lived to fight another week. But the mood around the program shifted fast once the quarterback situation became the headline.
After the game, Ryan Day said Sayin would be out "several weeks," though he did not get into specifics about the injury.
That sets up a stretch that suddenly looks a lot more complicated. Ohio State now has USC next, then a home game against Oregon. Both teams have had their issues in 2026, but going through that run with a true freshman at quarterback is not a scenario anyone in Columbus wanted.
If Sayin’s absence stretches further, the Buckeyes still have Northwestern ahead - and that team is now 5-1 after beating Michigan State - along with a road trip to Nebraska, which gave Indiana trouble last week. Michigan is still on the schedule too.
So yes, Ohio State escaped with the win. But it did so while waiting on an injury update that could shape the rest of its season.
In Other News...
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Lanning pointed to Raiolas recent performance and the adjustments Oregon has made on offense as the reasons for the switch, putting the focus on stability rather than sentiment. For Raiola, the timing is especially notable because the Nebraska game had the feel of a personal one, given his connection to the Cornhuskers. Instead, Oregon heads into it with a different quarterback plan and a storyline that looks very different from what it did just a week ago. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Commit Brayton Feister Is Back On The Field Amid Dispute
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The Feisters had been sidelined after the OHSAA cited transfer and disciplinary issues, turning their season into as much a courtroom matter as a football one. The appeals court granted a preliminary permanent injunction, and while the association could still pursue further legal action, the immediate effect is straightforward for Oregon: one of its commits is back on the field, and the situation remains unresolved beyond that. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Trip To Ohio State Suddenly Looks Very Different
Ohio States quarterback picture changed quickly this week when coach Ryan Day said Julian Sayin is expected to be out for several weeks after suffering an injury. The Buckeyes are now likely to turn to freshman Luke Fahey for the upcoming stretch, including the game against Oregon, which adds a new wrinkle to a matchup that already had plenty of intrigue.
Oregons own quarterback situation remains unsettled, with Dante Moore, Brock Thomas or Dylan Raiola all possibilities depending on how things shake out. So instead of a familiar heavyweight showdown between established starters, the Ducks could find themselves preparing for a far less predictable test on both sides of the ball. [Read more 🡒]