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Ohio State’s national championship hopes are suddenly in peril.
Head coach Ryan Day said Tuesday the Buckeyes are preparing to be without quarterback Julian Sayin for the rest of the season, including the College Football Playoff, after he suffered a shoulder injury during Saturday’s win over Indiana.
The 21-year-old, who was a Heisman finalist last season, wasn’t officially ruled out for the year, but the team is bracing for Sayin to not return.
“We’re not gonna put any timeline on his recovery, but he is out indefinitely,” Day told reporters. “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.”
True freshman Luke Fahey and sophomore five-star Tavien St. Clair will now compete during the No. 3 Buckeyes’ bye week to determine who will start on the road against No. 16 USC on Halloween.
Sayin was injured on a fourth-quarter sack by Indiana’s Mario Landino, and the quarterback was in a sling after getting evaluated. Fahey replaced him.
He has thrown for 2,007 yards, 19 touchdowns and four interceptions this season while completing 68.2 percent of his passes.
Last season, he had 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions with a 77 completion percentage.
Fahey had “been ahead” of St. Clair entering the win over the Hoosiers, according to Day, but he said both quarterbacks will get reps.
“We’re gonna play the guy that gives us the best chance to win,” the coach said.
Ohio State has a manageable schedule after facing the Trojans.
They’ll host Oregon on Nov. 7 and Northwestern on Nov. 14 before traveling to face Nebraska on Nov. 21. The Buckeyes will then host rival Michigan on Nov. 28.
But whether they can make a deep run in the College Football Playoff is now a major question.