Quarterback Julian Sayin (10) was injured in the fourth quarter and returned from the locker room in a sling. Ohio State beat Indiana 19-15 on Oct. 17, 2026. Credit: Cassandra D’Angelo | Sport Photo Editor.
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day announced Tuesday night that starting quarterback Julian Sayin would be out indefinitely.
Sayin suffered an injury after being sacked in the fourth quarter of Ohio State’s 19-15 win over Indiana Saturday. He returned from the locker room with a sling on his right arm near the end of the game.
“We’re not going to put any timeline on his recovery, but he is out indefinitely,” Day said Tuesday. “What we’re trying to do is give Julian and his family the space and privacy to go through this process but based on the nature of the injury, we are putting together a plan for him not being available for the regular season and then also him not being available for the postseason.”
The type of injury Sayin sustained was not specified.
Day described if Sayin doesn’t return this season, the team will be prepared.?
“We’re putting a plan together for the regular season and then for the postseason,” Day said. “Then if he’s unable to return, then we have the plan in place and we’ll kind of go from there.”
Sayin, a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2025, led the nation in completion percentage at 77%, throwing for 3,610 passing yards and 32 touchdowns a season ago. This season, Sayin threw for 2,007 passing yards and 19 touchdowns through the Buckeyes’ first seven games.
The competition for Sayin’s replacement at quarterback is between freshman Luke Fahey and sophomore Tavien St. Clair.
After Sayin went out of the game against Indiana, Fahey went in and played the team’s final nine offensive snaps.?
As the No. 3 Buckeyes enter their bye week, Day described the nature of the team’s quarterback battle.
“Going into the last few games, Luke’s been ahead of Tavien in terms of what we’ve seen,” Day said. “But now that we have a bye week, these guys are both going to get a lot of reps and we’re going to start to put together a plan on how we’re going to move forward and we’re going to play the guy that gives us the best chance to win.”?
Day said with Sayin out indefinitely, Fahey or St. Clair have an opportunity to lead the Buckeyes.
“Every position group has to be strong enough to do their job at a high level, when that happens, we’re going to win championships,” Day said. “Well, the challenge is set now for these guys to step up in a big way and play championship football at their position and so that’s for both Luke and Tavien.”
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said while Sayin’s injury “unfortunate”, he looks forward to the opportunity for Fahey and St. Clair.
“They both have strengths, that’s why they’re here at Ohio State and they’re different players,” Smith said. “We’ve got two weeks to kind of figure it out, but excited for the opportunity for both of them.”
Ohio State will return to the field without its 2025 Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback on Oct. 31 against USC in LA Memorial Coliseum.
