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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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Ohio State's loss at USC on Saturday was a big setback. The No. 2 Buckeyes, coming off a bye, fell 30-18 in their first game without star quarterback Julian Sayin. True freshman Luke Fahey, who started in place of Sayin, wasn't even the biggest issue, though.
The offense didn't score a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter, and a third-quarter fumble in USC territory stopped one of their best chances to get back in it. The defense also had its worst game in two years, allowing 30 points for the first time since Ohio State's 32-31 loss at Oregon in 2024. The Buckeyes fell to 6-2 overall, and 4-1 in Big Ten play after Saturday.
Speaking after the loss, college football analyst David Pollack said Ohio State "might be in real trouble" down the stretch, arguing that if the Buckeyes can't unlock Jeremiah Smith, it will be tough and the defense will be forced to carry the load.
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"I think Ohio State might be in trouble. I think they might be in real trouble down the stretch of the season," Pollack said. "We say, 'Hey, I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt. They got all this talent.' Man, if you can't unlock Jeremiah Smith, I think it's going to be tough for them. Their defense is going to have to keep them in football games."
"But the red zone too, man. They got in the red zone several times. That's when they needed to be physical, and they couldn't do it. And we've seen that so many times throughout the last couple of seasons," he added. "Kicking field goals. That's how you get beat, man ... And I don't think 9-3 is going to get it done for them to get in the College Football Playoff."
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Sayin hurt his right throwing shoulder in the fourth quarter of Ohio State's 19-15 win over No. 4 Indiana on Oct. 17, and he's been ruled out indefinitely, with reports saying he could miss the rest of this season. He threw for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns last year, which made him a Heisman finalist, and was well on his way to smashing those totals this year, so it's a big loss for the Buckeyes.
With Fahey under center, the margin for error is gone. Against USC, Fahey went 21 of 38 for 260 yards and one touchdown without an interception, but Smith also had just 83 yards and one touchdown on 10 catches, which, by his standards, is a down game.
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Ohio State closes with Oregon, Northwestern, Nebraska, and Michigan, with the Ducks and Wolverines being their two biggest matchups remaining. With how competitive the CFP race is right now, the Buckeyes would likely need to win out to reach the Big Ten title game and get into the playoffs. And without Sayin, that feels like a long shot.
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