Ohio State's College Football Playoff hopes seem to be linked to the health of quarterback Julian Sayin.
The latest update from Buckeyes coach Ryan Day won't leave fans feeling any better after the CFP committee put Ohio State at No. 12 in its initial rankings Tuesday, the first team out of the field because of the Group of Six automatic qualifier.
"It’s not gonna be next week or next month," Day said on his radio show Thursday. "It’s gonna take some time, but I think certainly for the long term, we feel like we’re on a good track here.”
The Buckeyes lost their first game without Sayin, falling
30-18 on the road to USC last week. And while freshman quarterback Luke Fahey was far from spectacular, Ohio State's defense and sloppy play (11 accepted penalties) were just as much to blame — if not more — for the defeat.
"They didn't look like the same Ohio State team this past weekend against Southern Cal, a Southern Cal team that defensively had not been very good to this point in the season," CFP committee chairman Hunter Yurachek said Tuesday explaining the Buckeyes' No. 12 ranking. "We watched Ohio State Saturday against Southern Cal. I don't want to put the burden on the freshman quarterback because their offense actually played fairly well. They were held to four field goals through three and a half quarters, but their defense gave up some really big, explosive plays, and some of the coaches in a room shared concern about Ohio State up front and their defense, and not necessarily the quarterback, but they did start a freshman quarterback, and stalled some when they got inside the 30-yard line."
Ohio State faces a must-win game at home this weekend with Oregon visiting. The Ducks are ranked No. 23 in the first CFP rankings, so it's an opportunity for the Buckeyes to improve their resume and convince some committee doubters they beat quality opponents without Sayin under center.
As for the injured Buckeyes quarterback, Day added on his radio show Sayin is still very much a part of the team's preparation.
“It’s been good to have him in the meetings, having Julian around the team," Day said of Sayin, who was injured in the Buckeyes' Oct. 17 win over Indiana. "You talk through a play and say, ‘Jules, anything you can add,’ and sometimes he’ll say something. He’s got a good feel for that. He communicates well.
"I think it’s important for him to be around the guys. I think it says a lot about him that he’s not just off doing his rehab. He’s with the team and takes his role very seriously.
There's still no timetable for Sayin's return, though initially there was hope he could return in time for the CFP. That's if the Buckeyes make it.
“All things considered, the outcome with the different options that were kind of going into the situation thinking it could be, I think this has been a decent outcome for us and for him," Day said. "We’ll kind of let him go through that, but this thing looks to be healing."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ryan Day updates Julian Sayin injury timeline, and it’s not what Ohio State fans wanted
