Ohio State might finish the regular season with a losing record even if they win every single one of their final five games. This sounds impossible, but the math changes if the team loses their current standing before the next kickoff. The Buckeyes sit at 6-1 right now, but the path ahead is not a straight line to victory. A new quarterback situation and a tough road trip to Los Angeles create a real risk that no one expected at the start of the year.
The team faces a major shift because starter Julian Sayin cannot play due to a right shoulder injury. Coach Ryan Day confirmed that the team will start a new quarterback against USC on Saturday night. Since the 2024 season, no one besides Sayin has ever directed the offense until now. The backup options are Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair, both of whom were highly rated recruits when they signed.
Two Quarterbacks Could Share Time
Day did not rule out using both backups in the same game, which is a rare move for a top-ranked team. He told reporters that the coaching staff might split duties based on how the game flows. “It’s definitely possible,” Day said. We would need to observe the specific situations and circumstances to know; there is certainly a possibility.
The opponent in Los Angeles is not an easy test. The USC Trojans are 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten conference. A victory before a packed Memorial Coliseum stands as their path to sustaining College Football Playoff aspirations. USC just lost 24-7 to Wisconsin, but Day warned his players not to take the Trojans lightly. He called them “as talented a team as I’ve seen on film” and said the Buckeyes will need their best shot to win.
The Schedule Looks Easier But Isn’t
Before this week, the final five games looked like a disaster for Ohio State. The schedule included road trips to Texas, Iowa, and Indiana, plus games against USC, Oregon, and Michigan. Many fans expected the Buckeyes to lose several of these big matchups. Following Indiana’s defeat by Ohio State, nearly every nationally ranked team has lost, creating fresh opportunities.
Despite the drop in competition from other teams, the Buckeyes do not look like the same squad that started the year. The team is ranked No. 2 in the country, but the loss of their star quarterback changes how they play. The fans are now voting on what they think the final record will be. A Yahoo Sports survey asked supporters to pick the outcome of the last five games and the margin of victory against USC. The results will be shared before the game kicks off on Saturday.
The recruiting battle between these two schools also adds to the story. USC took home the No. 1-ranked class for the 2026 cycle, while Ohio State finished at No. 4 overall. This trend of competing for the best talent will continue between the two programs.
The margin of victory against USC is now a key question for fans.
