newsweek
Ohio State's championship hopes may have taken a hit as starting quarterback Julian Sayin exited Saturday's game against Indiana with an injury. Sayin had guided the Buckeyes to a 19-5 lead before taking a hard hit in the end zone during the fourth quarter, with two Hoosiers defenders bringing him down.
Backup Luke Fahey entered the game with Ohio State ahead by four, but Indiana continued to threaten late. Sayin later returned to the sideline with 3:35 remaining, wearing a sling on his right arm, and watched as the Buckeyes handed No. 6 Indiana its first loss of the season.
Indiana had the ball with under two minutes left and was in position to pull off the upset in front of its home fans, but Ohio State's defense held firm to secure the 19-15 victory. The win avenged last season's Big Ten Championship Game loss to the Hoosiers and kept the Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff hunt.
"We got you. We're gonna take care of this win for you," wide receiver Jeremiah Smith said he told Sayin after the injury.
Head coach Ryan Day did not have an update on Sayin's status immediately after the game. Before exiting, Sayin completed 15 of 29 passes for 235 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Losing Sayin would be a significant blow for Ohio State, which entered the season as a top contender for the CFP title. Through Week 7, Sayin ranked sixth nationally with 1,772 passing yards and had thrown 17 touchdowns.
If Sayin is sidelined, freshman Luke Fahey will be called upon to step up, though he will have talented playmakers around him, including Heisman favorite Jeremiah Smith and running back Bo Jackson.
The Buckeyes have a bye week before facing USC on Saturday, Oct. 31.
Originally reported by newsweek.