Luke Fahey barely got his shot at Ohio State, and a future Buckeye is already questioning his ability. Austin Miller, the program’s 15-year-old 2029 wide receiver commit, reportedly suggested Jeremiah Smith has no quarterback. One high school season under his belt, and Miller is seemingly taking shots at a player who could eventually be his teammate. And after Fahey’s ugly debut against USC, the timing is brutal.
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No. 2 Ohio State suffered a humiliating 30-18 loss at USC, dropping to No. 11 in the AP poll and putting its playoff hopes at risk. According to Eleven Warriors, no 9-3 team has reached the College Football Playoff in the first two seasons of the 12-team format. Now at 6-2, Ryan Day’s team has little room for another defeat.
“Wow controversy in Columbus? Ohio State WR commit Austin Miller, under a post about Jeremiah Smith claims he had no QB. Keep in mind Luke Fahey could be the one throwing to him when he gets to campus,” according to an X post by Imaad, which shared a screenshot of Miller’s alleged comment: “lil boyd him n no qb.”
Miller, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound receiver from Bellflower, California, committed to Ohio State on June 22 over USC, Oregon and Miami. He became the first pledge of Cortez Hankton’s tenure as receivers coach and the Buckeyes’ first 2029 commit.
As a freshman, Miller caught 35 passes for 609 yards and eight touchdowns, rushed for 883 yards and 13 scores, and recorded 36 tackles, four sacks and a fumble return touchdown. He won’t arrive in Columbus until 2029, when Fahey could be entering his fourth year with the program.
Fahey completed 21 of 38 passes for 260 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions against USC. He rushed seven times for 12 yards and took two sacks. His only previous action in a close game came against Indiana, where he went 0-for-2 and committed an intentional grounding penalty. Before USC, he had attempted just 13 passes all season.
“I don’t think we could have expected anything better from Luke today,” tight end Mason Williams said, according to the Associated Press. “Really, he went out there and he battled … and when you get a freshman quarterback starting in a big game like that, when you can get what you got out of him today, we’ve got to be able to do our jobs, everyone on the field, and strive to make his job a little easier.”
Ohio State outgained USC 464-338 but repeatedly sabotaged itself. Trent Mosley’s 69-yard touchdown reception put the Trojans ahead just 39 seconds into the game. The Buckeyes committed 11 penalties for 71 yards, according to Ohio State’s official box score, and managed just one touchdown in four red-zone trips, settling for field goals on two others.
Their offensive struggles were particularly glaring before halftime. Ohio State reached USC’s 1-yard line, failed to gain ground, committed a false start and settled for a 23-yard field goal.
Isaiah West’s fumble in USC territory added to the damage, while Mark Bowman’s 70-yard reception helped extend the Trojans’ lead to 27-9. Ohio State didn’t reach the end zone until Fahey connected with Smith from a yard out with 2:12 remaining. Smith finished with 10 receptions for 83 yards, breaking Braylon Edwards’ Big Ten record with his 40th career touchdown catch.
Ryan Day Has No Plans to Pin Ohio State’s Loss on Luke Fahey
Despite the criticism surrounding Ohio State’s quarterback situation, Ryan Day refused to make Fahey the scapegoat. The freshman had his struggles, but dropped passes, penalties and missed opportunities made his first start considerably harder.
“For Luke, he competed. It wasn’t perfect, but we had some drops and we weren’t able to help him out there,” Day said, according to Ohio State’s official postgame report.
Day also acknowledged his responsibility to put Fahey in better situations. Despite moving the ball effectively, Ohio State’s inability to finish drives ultimately proved costly.
The Buckeyes now face Oregon, Northwestern, Nebraska and Michigan to close the regular season. Winning out would strengthen their playoff case, while another loss could put their postseason hopes in serious jeopardy.
With Sayin unlikely to return soon and Tavien St. Clair still on the bench, Day faces growing pressure to steady the offense. Meanwhile, Miller’s alleged comment has added an awkward twist to an already difficult situation in Columbus.