Enough Waiting? Tavien St. Clair Deserves a Shot at Ohio State’s Starting QB Spot
A lead slips away
Ohio State opened Saturday’s game against Oregon with the first 14 points, but the Ducks rallied to win 41-28. The loss left the Buckeyes with a 6-3 record.
Fahey finished with 360 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Both touchdowns came in the final four minutes, when Ohio State was trailing by more than 20 points.
Questions at quarterback
The Buckeyes turned to Fahey after Julian Sayin suffered a season-ending injury. St. Clair was among the players fans thought might get an opportunity, but the coaching staff chose the first-year quarterback instead.
Fahey has 620 yards and three touchdowns overall, but Ohio State has gone 0-2 in his starts. The team is out of contention for the Big Ten title and faces an unlikely path to the College Football Playoff.
St. Clair’s case
St. Clair has completed five of nine passes for 52 yards, with one touchdown and one interception, and has rushed twice for eight yards. He has spent two seasons behind Sayin and has been around the program for some time.
In high school, the 6-foot-4, 235-pound quarterback threw for more than 2,500 yards and 29 touchdowns as a senior, while adding nine rushing scores. Ohio State has three games left, and giving him a chance could provide another route to a stronger finish.
Key points
- Ohio State fell to Oregon 41-28 after taking a 14-0 lead.
- Fahey’s two touchdowns came late, while the Buckeyes trailed by more than 20 points.
- St. Clair has limited college experience but posted 29 passing touchdowns in his senior high school season.
- Ohio State has three games remaining after back-to-back losses.