Julian Sayin is out indefinitely with an injury to his right throwing arm, and Ohio State is planning as if he won’t play again this season. That is what happened to Julian Sayin: Mario Landino hit his right shoulder on a fourth-quarter sack that forced a fumble in the Buckeyes’ 19-15 win at Indiana on Oct. 17, and Sayin later came out of the locker room with his arm in a sling, ESPN reported. Coach Ryan Day has given no recovery timeline. Without Sayin, Ohio State lost 30-18 at USC on Oct. 31.
Sayin’s season next to Fahey’s first start
Sayin’s season totals are from ESPN. The per-game averages and Fahey’s completion rate are our math.
| Stat | Sayin, 2026 season | Fahey at USC |
|---|---|---|
| Completion rate | 71.2% | 55.3% (21 of 38) |
| Passing yards | 1,772 across Ohio State’s first seven games, about 253 a game | 260 |
| Touchdown passes | 17, about 2.4 a game | 1 |
| Interceptions | Reports conflict | 0 |
The interception line doesn’t add up across outlets. ESPN listed two for the season, but 10TV reported that he threw two against Indiana alone and that it was his second straight game with two.
The hit at Indiana
Sayin had thrown two touchdown passes against the Hoosiers, including a 38-yarder to Jeremiah Smith on fourth-and-1 early in the fourth quarter that put Ohio State up 19-7, according to ESPN. He was 15 of 29 for 235 yards before he got hurt, 10TV reported. Fahey finished the game and went 0 for 2.
Ohio State hasn’t released a diagnosis. Day hasn’t said whether surgery is planned.
What Ryan Day has said since
At his Oct. 20 news conference, Day said: “We’re not gonna put any timeline on his recovery, but he is out indefinitely.” He added that Fahey and sophomore Tavien St. Clair would both get first-team snaps during the bye week, and “We’re going to play the guy that gives us the best chance to win,” according to 10TV and ESPN. Sports Illustrated reported that Day called Sayin’s chances of returning this season “doubtful.”
A week later, Day sounded upbeat about how Sayin was handling it. “He is doing well,” Day said, according to Eleven Warriors. “Things have gone as good as they could have been, and he’s in good spirits.” Sayin had posted on Instagram that he was “Behind my guys, every step of the way,” and he made the trip to Los Angeles.
Ohio State never formally named a starter. Reports on Oct. 30 from CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz and On3’s Pete Nakos said it would be Fahey, Eleven Warriors noted, and he started.
How the USC game went
USC was unranked and Ohio State came in at No. 2, theScore reported. The Trojans scored on the second play of the game, a 69-yard screen pass to Trent Mosley. Ohio State committed 10 penalties and trailed 27-9 in the rain before a late rally, ABC6 reported.
The offense moved the ball at times and kept stalling once it got close. Late in the first half, Ohio State had first-and-goal inside the 1 and came away with a field goal after a run for no gain, a false start and two incompletions, according to Eleven Warriors. USC sacked Fahey twice and had seven tackles for loss, theScore said. Ohio State’s only touchdown came with just over two minutes left, a 1-yard pass from Fahey to Jeremiah Smith.
The defense gave up 30 points for the first time since a 32-31 loss to Oregon in 2024, Eleven Warriors noted. theScore wrote that Fahey “didn’t play poorly” but “doesn’t provide the same downfield threat that Sayin brought.”
What changes for Ohio State in November
The loss dropped the Buckeyes to 6-2 and 4-1 in the Big Ten. Eleven Warriors wrote that they will likely need to win out in November to make the College Football Playoff and the Big Ten title game. Here is what’s left, per 10TV:
- Nov. 7: Oregon, at home
- Nov. 14: Northwestern, at home
- Nov. 21: at Nebraska
- Nov. 28: Michigan, at home (noon, FOX)
Before the USC game, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said “the expectations don’t change” and that the plan was to lean on the run game whoever plays quarterback, Sports Illustrated reported.
Where the drop-off showed up
Fahey’s yardage was about the same as Sayin’s average. The drop was in points. Sayin was throwing more than two touchdown passes a game, and Fahey threw one, on a night when the offense settled for a field goal from inside the 1. If the Buckeyes win out with Fahey, it probably happens the way Smith described before the trip: a heavier load on the run game and a defense that goes back to holding teams well under 30. Oregon on Nov. 7 is the first test of that. Until Day gives a diagnosis or a timeline, plan on Sayin missing the season.
FAQ
What is Julian Sayin’s injury?
He hurt his right throwing arm when he was hit on the right shoulder during a sack late in the Oct. 17 game at Indiana. Ohio State has not released a specific diagnosis.
Will Julian Sayin play again this season?
Ryan Day says Sayin is out indefinitely, and the team is planning to go without him through the postseason. Sports Illustrated reported that Day called his chances of returning this season “doubtful.”
Who is Ohio State’s quarterback now?
True freshman Luke Fahey started at USC on Oct. 31. He threw for 260 yards and one touchdown in a 30-18 loss.
Who does Ohio State play next?
Oregon visits Ohio State on Nov. 7. After that come Northwestern, a trip to Nebraska and Michigan on Nov. 28.
Check our trending news page for other stories people are searching today, and find more college football and NFL coverage in Sports.
Updated November 1, 2026