Ohio State Looks Lost Without Julian Sayin and Now Has No More Room for Error

Most of the conversation surrounding USC the past week has been whether the Trojans would have a new head coach next season, be that due to a firing of Lincoln Riley or him departing for another job willingly after another season falling short of expectations. And yet, in Ohio State's first game after Julian Sayin's injury, the Buckeyes went to Los Angeles and made USC look like a national title contender.

Yes, going on the road in the Big Ten is difficult and this game was never going to be easy with it being the first career start for either Luke Fahey or Tavien St. Clair. But it took nearly 60 minutes for the Buckeyes to score their lone touchdown of the night and they will fly back to Columbus now with two losses and no more room for error if they want to participate in the College Football Playoff.

Fahey wasn't bad given the circumstances, but the offense just wasn't clicking like we're used to seeing it with Sayin under center. And now OSU has to play an Oregon team that still has a ton of talent — and a suddenly surging Dylan Raiola — followed by Northwestern, a trip to Nebraska that won't be a cakewalk and then the team that has had Ryan Day's number his entire career. If the Buckeyes lost this one by two possessions, I don't see how they don't lose another one of those games.

But the beauty is we'll get to find out. Maybe Fahey turns it on for the stretch run and this becomes the hottest team in the country that wins the Big Ten and makes another run in the Playoff. But one more loss and all that goes out the window.