The No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes may have been dealt a serious blow to their championship aspirations, as their starting quarterback Julian Sayin exited Saturday's battle with conference foe Indiana. Sayin played much of the game, helping lead Ohio State to a 19-5 lead. However, he took a hit in the end zone in the game's fourth quarter, with two of the Hoosiers' defenders taking him down.
That resulted in Sayin exiting Saturday's matchup at a crucial moment for his team. Backup Luke Fahey came in to replace him, with the Buckeyes still ahead by four, but the Hoosiers continued to threaten that lead late in the fourth. After his exit with the injury, Sayin returned from the locker room with 3:35 remaining in the fourth.
He was sporting a sling on his right arm and watched the remainder of the thrilling game from the sidelines. He was all smiles as he watched the Ohio State Buckeyes hand No. 6 Indiana its first loss of the season. More news: Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman Reveals Selfish Reason He Wants CFP Expansion Indiana had the ball with under two minutes remaining in the matchup, and was in prime position to win the game in front of their home-area fans.
However, the Buckeyes withstood the late-game threat against the undefeated Hoosiers. Ohio State came away with the 19-15 victory against Indiana, and continued their push to return to the College Football Playoff. They also avenged last season's Big Ten Championship Game loss to the Hoosiers.
We're gonna take care of this win for you," wide receiver Jeremiah Smith said after the game when asked about his message to Sayin after the injury. Head coach Ryan Day didn't have any updates yet when asked about Sayin's injury immediately after the win. Before he exited, Sayin completed 15 of 29 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns, and also threw two interceptions.
Losing their starting quarterback would be a crushing blow for the Buckeyes, a team that some considered among the top contenders to win the CFP championship after the season. Entering Week 7, Sayin ranks sixth in the nation with 1,772 passing yards and has thrown 17 touchdowns to lead the Ohio State Buckeyes. If he's sidelined, it seems the freshman Fahey will need to step up in his absence, but he also has talented weapons on the field, including Heisman favorite wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and running back Bo Jackson.
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