Ohio State's season completely changed after the injury to Julian Sayin in Bloomington. However, the season isn't over. The Buckeyes are still going to play at least six more games. They still have the talent to make the College Football Playoff and go deep. Here are three predictions for the rest of this season.
Jeremiah Smith wins the Heisman Trophy
Jeremiah Smith's stats have been absolutely off the charts this season. He is the current favorite for the Heisman Trophy, and he has carried the Buckeyes' offense. I don't expect his numbers to stay at that level with Luke Fahey instead of Julian Sayin. Smith has accounted for the majority of Ohio State's receiving yards this season, and I expect that to stay the same.
They will need to get the ball to their best player even more with their second-best offensive player now out. The Heisman voters will see that, and give Jeremiah Smith the first Heisman Trophy by an Ohio State player since 2006.
Ohio State beats Michigan, goes 10-2, makes the Big Ten Championship game, and CFP
Ohio State has a huge test coming out of their bye week as they travel to Los Angeles to take on USC's high-powered offense. To expect Luke Fahey to keep up with Jayden Maiava in his first career start is unfair. I think the Buckeyes lose that game, but then rally down the stretch to finish 10-2 with a win against Michigan.
They get back to Indianapolis and face the Indiana Hoosiers for the Big Ten title for the second year in a row. I know Ohio State just won in Bloomington with Julian Sayin playing the worst game of his career, but I don't expect that to happen for a second time in a row. The Hoosiers win back-to-back Big Ten titles, but Ohio State still gets to the playoff, and they have to go on the road in the first round.
Julian Sayin will be Ohio State's starting quarterback in 2027
At the beginning of the season, I wrote that Julian Sayin would not be Ohio State's quarterback in 2027. I said that he would either have a great season and go to the NFL draft, or he wouldn't make the improvements he needs to make and would be pushed out by Tavien St. Clair.
Sayin's 2026 season was somewhere in the middle of those two realities, but I think it's fair to say that he did not have a good enough season to forgo his eligibility for the NFL draft. The big issue here is that Tavien St. Clair isn't even ahead of Luke Fahey on the depth chart, let alone challenging Sayin. The Buckeyes could go to the portal for a QB next year, but I think Sayin being back at Ohio State for a third season is the more likely scenario.
Ohio State still has to figure out a way to keep this year going strong. This bye week is going to be key for how the rest of this season plays out.
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