Ohio State heads to USC without Julian Sayin, and Ryan Day still won’t name his replacement. The No. 2 Buckeyes are 6-1, with five games left and their title hopes at stake. Luke Fahey earned the backup job, but Day hasn’t handed him the starting role. Instead, he’s reopened the competition with Tavien St. Clair.

According to Dan Hope’s post on X, Day did not name a starting quarterback for the USC game during Monday’s Buckeye Roundtable. When asked specifically about Fahey, he discussed both quarterbacks, praising their bye-week performances without identifying a frontrunner.

“I feel like this past week was a good opportunity for both (Luke) and Tavien to get work,” Day said, according to Eleven Warriors. “I feel like both guys have embraced it. I think it’s different when you’re getting reps with the ones as opposed to the twos and threes. And time will tell, but there’s been a lot of energy in practice. I think the guys are up for the challenge and are excited to go play USC.”

The bye week gave Day time to reopen a competition Fahey had already won. The freshman beat St. Clair for the backup job during fall camp and remained ahead through September and October. But replacing an injured quarterback midgame and leading a national championship contender are different challenges.

“If this wasn’t a bye week, we’d have to roll right now,” Day explained during his October 20 press conference, according to Cleveland.com. “Luke went in the game (at Indiana), and we were rolling.”

Instead of automatically promoting Fahey, Day gave both quarterbacks first-team repetitions, promising to “play the guy that gives us the best chance to win.”

The competition follows Sayin’s elbow injury against Indiana on October 17. Defensive tackle Mario Landino sacked him during Ohio State’s 19-15 victory, leaving Sayin with his right arm in a sling. He had thrown for 2,007 yards, 19 touchdowns and four interceptions through seven games. Day has ruled him out indefinitely, with a regular-season return considered doubtful.

Neither replacement has started a college game. Fahey, a true freshman from Mission Viejo, has completed nine of 13 passes for 203 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. St. Clair, a former five-star recruit from Bellefontaine, has completed five of seven passes for 52 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

But Indiana exposed the risk of trusting Fahey. He went 0-for-2, committed an intentional grounding penalty and failed to generate another first down after an eight-yard scramble. Day admitted the freshman was “a little overwhelmed and drinking through a fire hose” after unexpectedly entering a tight fourth-quarter game.

Still, Day expects improvement with proper preparation. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith praised Fahey’s understanding of the offense and his “pro mindset.”

“He’s an extremely hard worker. He puts a lot of hours in. He’s extremely competitive,” Day said on October 20. “He has a moxie about him. He has a competitiveness about him.”

St. Clair has the physical advantage. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound sophomore arrived as a five-star prospect, compared with Fahey’s four-star background. Although he lost the backup competition, the bye week gave him an opportunity to challenge Fahey for the starting job.

Day also plans to consult Smith, quarterbacks coach Billy Fessler, other coaches and players before deciding.

“Ultimately, it’ll be my decision. But Arthur is going to have some say in it. Billy’s going to have some say in it,” Day explained. “There’s a lot that goes with the quarterback position. It’s obviously a big decision.”

Whoever starts will need significant support. Day expects Ohio State’s offensive line to have its “full arsenal” available against USC, with Austin Siereveld potentially returning after missing two games due to illness.

“We’re going to lean on them more to be the guys who lead this team,” Day said Monday. “You got a young quarterback right there, I mean, they’re going to be looking at him, but he’s going to be looking at them.”

Jeremiah Smith, who has 52 catches for 984 yards, will also be crucial, while a defense allowing just 13.4 points per game faces greater responsibility.

Day has cited Ohio State’s 2014 national championship run, when third-string quarterback Cardale Jones stepped in following injuries to Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett, as proof that losing a starting quarterback doesn’t have to end a title pursuit.

And the stakes go beyond USC.

Ohio State climbed to No. 2 in the latest AP Poll, but with one loss already and Oregon, Northwestern, Nebraska and Michigan still ahead, another setback could complicate its playoff path.

The CFP selection committee considers the unavailability of key players when evaluating teams. If Ohio State’s offense struggles without Sayin, it could hurt the Buckeyes’ playoff seeding even if they remain in contention. Florida State’s controversial playoff exclusion in 2023 following Jordan Travis’ injury serves as a warning, although that decision came under the former four-team format.

Why Fahey is still the favorite

Fahey remains the frontrunner because he’s already earned the coaching staff’s trust. He was the first quarterback off the bench against Ball State, Kent State, Maryland and Indiana. On October 20, Day confirmed that Fahey’s superior practice performance over the previous month had kept him ahead of St. Clair.

“That’s why he went in first,” Day said.

Yet his struggles against Indiana have raised questions about his readiness. St. Clair received first-team repetitions during the bye week, but Day’s Monday update offered no evidence that the former five-star recruit had overtaken Fahey.

“We all got to be tighter here,” Day said. “We got to help a young quarterback get his first win as a Buckeye. And it’s going to take our best.”

Day will make the final decision after consulting his staff. Ohio State’s first availability report is scheduled for Wednesday evening, although it may not identify the starter.

Fahey still has the inside track, but his struggles against Indiana have given Day reason to evaluate his options. With Sayin potentially sidelined for the rest of the regular season, the decision could determine whether Ohio State’s championship ambitions survive its quarterback crisis.