Ryan Day had a five-star quarterback on the sideline. He picked the three-star freshman instead. When Julian Sayin went down in the middle of a top-five showdown, Luke Fahey stepped in and went 0-for-2. He was supposed to be third on the depth chart until spring. Now, with Sayin sidelined, the true freshman could be asked to keep Ohio State’s championship hopes alive.

The Buckeyes led Indiana 19-15 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington with about eight minutes left when Mario Landino got around the edge and hit Julian Sayin’s arm as he started to throw. The ball came out, and right tackle Phillip Daniels recovered the fumble. Sayin jogged off with his right arm hanging at his side and returned to the sideline with a sling.

Day first said Sayin would “probably be out for several weeks.” With his status still remaining questionable and Ohio State not disclosing anything further, Fahey is stepping up at quarterback and is expected to start at USC on October 31 after the bye.

Fahey enrolled in January as the only quarterback in Ohio State’s 2026 class, behind Sayin, who is serving as the starter. Tavien St. Clair, the No. 7 overall recruit in the 2025 class, was the backup in waiting.

Fahey lost his black stripe on August 15, when camp started and Day said he was putting a lot of pressure on St. Clair. When Ohio State went to its bench against Ball State on September 5, Fahey came in first and played again against Kent State, earning the spot finally.

Against Ball State, he completed five passes for 62 yards and a touchdown and threw an interception off a dropped pass. Against Kent State, he went 4-of-5 for 141 yards and a touchdown, including a 75-yard completion, and threw another pick. That added up to 9-of-11 for 203 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in two blowouts.

But the game against Indiana was different, as he entered with 7:36 left in a one-score game, scrambled eight yards on his first snap and drew a 15-yard late-hit flag. Then he went 0-for-2, took an intentional grounding penalty, and took a 10-yard sack. Ohio State punted, and he finished the game on kneel-downs.

At Mission Viejo, Fahey threw for 7,021 yards, 68 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. As a full-time senior quarterback, he went 207-of-292 for 3,199 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also ran for 340 yards and six scores, and set a school record with 569 passing yards against Los Alamitos.

He won a CIF State Division 1-AA title as a sophomore while sharing snaps with Draiden Trudeau, now at San Diego State. Day said in August that Fahey could handle protection checks, run checks and the calls from the huddle.

“He’s [Fahey] got confidence. He’s got athletic ability. He’s a competitive kid,” Day said after the Indiana game. While Sayin wins on accuracy, Fahey wins with his legs and by extending plays. Day mentioned that the team “may need to do things just a little bit differently.”

Though Fahey would seem a favorite to start the next game at the moment, the coach still has a final decision to make for the remainder of Ohio’s schedule.

Ryan Day faces a crucial bye-week decision with Ohio State’s playoff hopes at stake

Jeremiah Smith had said chemistry with a new quarterback takes “a lot of practice, a lot of reps.” Ohio State is 6-1, 4-0 in the Big Ten and No. 3 in the AP poll. With a strong defense and a better run game, the Buckeyes can still play for a conference title and a playoff spot.

Fahey almost didn’t end up in Columbus. He visited Ohio State without an offer and said he was ready to commit to Indiana if any offer from the Buckeyes didn’t come. Ohio State offered, and he committed in July 2025.

“Been dreaming about playing for Ohio State my whole life,” Fahey said after committing.

After USC, a No. 16 team in Los Angeles, Ohio State plays Oregon on November 7 and Northwestern on November 14 at home, followed by Nebraska on the road and Michigan at home. Fahey’s two snaps against Indiana didn’t tell anyone much, but the USC game will.