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It's been over 10 years since Ohio State last started a true freshman quarterback, when Braxton Miller was under center. But Luke Fahey became the first since then, making his first start as a true freshman on the road against USC on Saturday.
Fahey did not have the best day, as Ohio State's offense had to settle for three field goals before reaching the end zone for the first time late in the fourth quarter.
Let's take a look at how Fahey's first start went at Ohio State and what it might mean for the Buckeyes the rest of the season.
MORE: Must see: USC tight end Mark Bowman's highlight-reel hurdle against Ohio State
Luke Fahey stats today
| COMP | ATT | YDS | TDs | INT |
| 21 | 38 | 260 | 1 | 0 |
The box score might lead you to believe Fahey did fine. He finished 21-of-38 for 260 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for 12 yards.
What the box score doesn't tell you is how many passes Fahey overthrew, as well as his complete lack of urgency late in the game when his team needed a quick score. Was he awful? No. Was he good enough to meet expectations and lead Ohio State deep into the CFP? Not on Saturday.
How bad was Luke Fahey vs. USC?
As mentioned, the biggest thing Fahey struggled with was overthrowing his receivers. It was a glaring issue all night.
In the second quarter, Fahey's pass attempt to Devin McCuin that should have been a touchdown was thrown way too far in front:
luke fahey overthrows devin mccuin pic.twitter.com/LUXfqnFCii
— wok (@wokdior) November 1, 2026He couldn't connect with Smith on a deep ball, either:
Luke Fahey… 🤮 pic.twitter.com/NvKrXXJUVf
— SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) November 1, 2026In the third quarter, Ohio State's fumble set up another USC touchdown. Although it wasn't Fahey's fault, his pass bounced off the receivers hands:
Luke Fahey is getting ZERO help tonight… this is tough to watch pic.twitter.com/xuzN0xcSQs
— Menace 2 Sports (@Menace2Sports) November 1, 2026He also had a near near interception in the first quarter, but the ball wasn't caught in bounds:
The Luke Fahey experience isn’t off to the best start… pic.twitter.com/VmIcUj9MlI
— Menace 2 Sports (@Menace2Sports) October 31, 2026Ohio State had a chance to make this a game late, forcing a USC punt and getting the ball back with 7:47 left. But Fahey under center failed to efficiently move the offense down the field, as the Trojans let 5:45 drain off the clock before USC could even find the end zone. He did hit Smith on a nice touchdown pass on the drive, but there was 2:12 left.
— wok (@wokdior) November 1, 2026On the two-point conversion attempt, Fahey completely overthrew his man in the end zone:
— Pick 6 Pack (@Pick6PackFB) November 1, 2026At the end of the game, Smith looked quite frustrated on the sidelines:
JEREMIAH SMITH WE LET YOU DOWN BRUDDA IM SORRY pic.twitter.com/Kg1OWmYbSB
— wok (@wokdior) November 1, 2026While his quiet night obviously wasn't entirely his fault, he finished with 10 catches for 83 yards with the late fourth-quarter touchdown.
Fahey's up-and-down night continued late in the game. He was having what looked like it would be his best drive of the night with less than two minutes left. He hit Chris Henry Jr. on a 39-yard strike:
LUKE FAHEY TO CHRIS HENRY JR pic.twitter.com/1NBMO2zpdP
— wok (@wokdior) November 1, 2026But a few plays later, he threw what was initially called an interception in the end zone, although on replay it was overturned.
Luke Fahey is picked off pic.twitter.com/KF2JXWXkDs
— wok (@wokdior) November 1, 2026Fahey's next four consecutive throws were massive overthrows to players in the end zone.
MORE: In Georgia we trust: Smothering defensive effort over Florida gives Bulldogs look of a champion
Ohio State QB depth chart
| QB | Player | Year |
| No. 1 | Luke Fahey | FR |
| No. 2 | Tavien St. Clair | RS FR |
| No. 3 | Justyn Martin | RS Senior |
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day declined to name a starter in the week leading up to the USC game. Behind Fahey is redshirt freshman Tavien St. Clair. While Fahey didn't play poorly enough to cause Day to make a chance under center during the game, the Buckeyes do have option if his form declines in the weeks ahead.
Ohio State remaining schedule
Here's a look at Ohio State's remaining schedule. The good news is that most of the remaining games for the Buckeyes are at home, including remaining Big Ten games against Oregon and Nebraska, as well as the always huge rivalry vs. Michigan on Nov. 28.
- Nov. 7: vs. Oregon
- Nov. 14: vs. Northwestern
- Nov. 21: at Nebraska
- Nov. 27: vs. Michigan
The one road trip is on Nov. 21 at Nebraska, which is a tough place to play. Not to mention the Cornhuskers are 5-2 on the season.
While Ohio State's remaining opponents are not currently ranked, the Buckeyes' drop-off in the passing game could be a cause for concern down the line.
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