Well, that was difficult to watch.
On Saturday, Nov. 7, the Ohio State Buckeyes played host to the Oregon Ducks at The Shoe, with the Buckeyes backing freshman quarterback Luke Fahey as the starter. After four quarters came and went, though, such a decision looks like it was a regrettable one.
The Buckeyes, after scoring the first 14 points, ended up collapsing as the Ducks went on to win 41-28.
Fahey finished the game with 360 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, but struggled immensely until the game was pretty much out of reach. Both of his touchdowns came with under four minutes to go, with the Buckeyes trailing by over 20 points.
With the Buckeyes now 6-3 on the season, out of contention for the BIG Ten title and sitting in an unlikely position to get a spot to play in the College Football Playoffs, it may be time for the program to try out a different signal caller.
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Tavien St. Clair (9) warms up prior to the NCAA football game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Oct. 3, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Ever since Julian Sayin went down with a season-ending injury, questions have been asked about who the Buckeyes would turn to fill his void.
While Fahey would end up being the answer, many speculated that former five-star prospect Tavien St. Clair would at least get a chance to be under center and show the offense what he has in the tank this season. He would ultimately be overlooked, with the coaching staff believing more in the first-year quarterback.
But across the last two games, Fahey hasn't looked the part.
His stats aren't awful, posting 620 yards and three touchdowns in total , but his overall play hasn't been good enough to warrant keeping him on the gridiron for the rest of the season, especially when St. Clair still hasn't been given a shot. He also hasn't been able to secure a win, going 0-2.
Sitting behind Sayin for two straight seasons now , St. Clair should be well equipped to run the Buckeyes' system, and he has also been around the program for quite a bit of time. Even if he is a bit raw on the technical and fundamental side, his connections with the players should be strong.
That alone is enough to believe he could put together some quality snaps.
During his limited opportunities at the college level, St. Clair has totaled five completions on nine attempts, giving him 52 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He has also rushed twice for eight yards.
Back in his senior year of high school, the now 6-foot-4, 235-pounder tossed 29 touchdowns and over 2,500 yards, all while tacking on nine scores on the ground.
Such a dynamic presence behind the line, St. Clair has the ability to elevate Ohio State's offense back to heights it previously saw with the likes of Justin Fields and CJ Stroud, giving the program another dual-threat quarterback.
Ohio State only has three more games to go, and after back-to-back losses, a change at quarterback could give this team a better opportunity to finish the year on a high note.
And after all, what does Ohio State have to lose at this point ?
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ohiostate as Enough is Enough: Tavien St. Clair Deserves a Shot at Ohio State's Starting QB Spot .
