Huffman Sports Wire News Break · ALL · Reporting · Published · Huffman Sports Wire News Desk
Huffman Sports Wire — Breaking News Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Ohio State Quarterback Julian Sayin Out Indefinitely as Buckeyes Plan for a Season Without Him
Ohio State starting quarterback Julian Sayin is out indefinitely with an injury to his right throwing arm, and head coach Ryan Day said on Tuesday, October 20 that the program is building plans for the rest of the season that do not include him. Day declined to set any timeline for a return and called a regular season return doubtful. The Buckeyes are also preparing for the possibility that Sayin misses the postseason.
Sayin was injured early in the fourth quarter of the 19-15 win at Indiana on Saturday, October 17, when defensive lineman Mario Landino hit him as he started a pass and his arm bent awkwardly on the sack. Sayin left for the locker room and later returned to the sideline with his right arm in a sling, and Ohio State has not released specifics about the nature of the injury. The win snapped the 22-game win streak of Indiana and moved third-ranked Ohio State to 6-1 overall with a 4-0 mark in Big Ten play.
Sayin has made 21 consecutive starts for Ohio State and finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting last season. True freshman Luke Fahey finished the Indiana game after the injury without a completion in 2 attempts, and Fahey has completed 9 of 13 passes this season for 203 yards with 2 touchdown passes. Fahey has also thrown 2 interceptions this season. Day said Fahey held the edge for the backup job over sophomore Tavien St. Clair entering the Indiana game, and both quarterbacks will take first-team repetitions during the bye week before Ohio State settles on a starter.
Ohio State is idle this week, and the schedule waiting on the other side of the bye is the hardest stretch of its season. The Buckeyes travel to USC on October 31, then face Oregon at home on November 7 with Northwestern at home on November 14, before closing the regular season at Nebraska on November 21 and against Michigan on November 28. An absence first described as several weeks has grown into the central question of the Big Ten title race and the College Football Playoff picture, and Ohio State now has one bye week to rebuild its offense around a freshman.
Sources: - [USA TODAY](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/bigten/2026/10/20/julian-sayin-injury-ohio-state-football-ryan-day/92343616007/) - [The Columbus Dispatch](https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/college/football/2026/10/20/julian-sayin-ohio-state-football-quarterback-injury-update/92348787007/) - [Sportsnet](https://www.sportsnet.ca/ncaa-mens-football/article/ohio-state-qb-julian-sayin-out-indefinitely-with-arm-injury/) - [On3](https://www.on3.com/news/ohio-state-quarterback-julian-sayin-out-indefinitely/)