No. 3 Ohio State is officially without star quarterback Julian Sayin for the foreseeable future, with coach Ryan Day confirming Tuesday that Sayin is out indefinitely with a right arm injury. It’s “doubtful” he’ll be back for the regular season, and Day is already planning for a world where his Heisman finalist isn’t available for the postseason, either. This is a massive blow to the Buckeyes, plain and simple.
The Hit That Changed Everything For Julian Sayin
This whole nightmare started Saturday in their 19-15 win over Indiana. Sayin got absolutely hammered from his right side while trying to throw a pass in the fourth quarter. His throwing arm got pinned awkwardly against his body as he hit the turf. You hate to see it. He sprinted off to the locker room, then popped back out on the sideline with his arm in a sling. That was it for him. Before the hit, Sayin was slinging it, going 15-of-29 for 235 yards, tossing two touchdowns but also two interceptions. This season, the guy has been electric, racking up 2,007 passing yards with 19 touchdowns against just four interceptions through seven games. Don’t forget, this is his third year with the Buckeyes, and he was a Heisman finalist last season, finishing fourth in the race. Losing a player of his caliber at this point? It’s tough.
Who’s Left To Carry The Buckeyes?
Now, Ryan Day and his staff have to figure out what’s next. They’ve got a bye week to strategize, which is a small blessing, but then they’re heading to Los Angeles to face No. 19 USC on Halloween. Talk about a tough spot to break in a new starter. Against Indiana, freshman Luke Fahey stepped in for Sayin, but didn’t complete either of his two pass attempts. Fahey is a three-star recruit who had previously gone 9-of-13 for 203 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions this season, but Saturday was his first taste of real game action. They also have sophomore Tavien St. Clair, a former five-star prospect, who will likely back up Fahey against USC. Regardless of who’s under center, replacing Sayin means navigating a brutal schedule with big games against Oregon, No. 24 Northwestern, and Michigan still on the slate to close out the regular season. This path to the postseason just got incredibly difficult.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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