Ohio State Secures Win Over Indiana Despite Julian Sayin Injury

The No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes topped the No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers in a great matchup between two of the best teams in the country.

However, despite the Buckeyes' win, it didn't come without a major loss. Starting quarterback Julian Sayin went down with an apparent right shoulder injury and returned to the sideline in a sling.

Sayin completed 15 of 29 passes for 235 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions before exiting with an injury. One of Sayin's touchdown passes was pivotal, as he connected with Jeremiah Smith on 4th-and-1 for a 38-yard score. He threw it up, giving Smith a chance to go up and get it.

Smith continues to prove why he is a contender to win the Heisman Trophy and is the best player in college football. Entering the game against Indiana, he had 48 receptions for 916 yards and 11 touchdowns. He added four receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Hoosiers.

Luke Fahey came in to replace Sayin and did not complete either of his two pass attempts, leaving it in the hands of their defense to get a stop. 

The Buckeyes held a 19-15 lead, but Indiana started off their drive hot. With under three minutes to go, Josh Hoover connected with Charlie Becker for a 25-yard pass. He connected with Becker later in the drive for another 16 yards. Becker had a great game, with nine receptions for 165 yards.

The Hoosiers were set up to have a shot to win the game at the 27-yard line. On 4th-and-4, Hoover threw it deep to Nick Marsh, who was wide open in the end zone. Marsh caught the ball, but his first step was out of bounds, making it an incomplete pass.

From there, the Buckeyes kneeled it out, ending the game and improving to 6-1 on the season. This was one of the biggest tests for Ohio State, and they proved that they can take down one of the best teams in the country despite losing to the Texas Longhorns earlier in the season.

The Buckeyes have their bye week coming up before they face off against the USC Trojans on Halloween. 

Ohio State has a strong chance of making the College Football Playoff and winning the National Championship, but they will need to see how healthy their star quarterback, Sayin, is in the upcoming weeks.