Ohio State defeats Indiana 19-15, Julian Sayin leaves with arm injury

Ohio State preserved a 19-15 victory over Indiana on Saturday, despite losing starting quarterback Julian Sayin to an apparent right-arm injury in the second half. Sayin, who had completed 15 of 29 passes for 235 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, left the game after a sack and was seen heading to the locker room with his arm in a sling. Freshman Luke Fahey replaced him for the remainder of the contest, completing none of two pass attempts and taking a sack.

The Buckeyes' winning score came late in the fourth quarter when Sayin connected with Jeremiah Smith for a touchdown pass. Smith, a Heisman candidate, recorded four receptions for 68 yards and the game-winning score, his first touchdown against Indiana in three meetings.

Indiana came close to extending its 22-game winning streak when wide receiver Nick Marsh was wide open on a fourth-down pass from Josh Hoover with just over a minute remaining. Marsh failed to stay in bounds, and the potential go-ahead touchdown was nullified.

Indiana also struggled with ball security, committing back-to-back fumbles to start the second half, ending a streak of 1,437 offensive plays without a fumble that began at the start of its win streak. Kicker Nico Radicic missed a short field goal and a 55-yard attempt, and the Hoosiers elected to attempt a two-point conversion after their second touchdown, which was unsuccessful.

"Julian will probably be out several weeks," Ohio State coach Ryan Day said after the game.

Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover, a transfer from TCU, finished with 20 completions on 40 attempts for 296 yards, with most of the production going to receiver Charlie Becker, who caught nine passes for 165 yards. Hoover appeared to sustain a right-shoulder injury during a scramble but returned to the field.

The Buckeyes' next games include a road matchup against No. 19 USC after their Week 8 bye, followed by contests with Oregon, Northwestern and Nebraska before the season finale against Michigan. Indiana remains in contention for the College Football Playoff, with its remaining schedule featuring a game at Michigan, a home contest against Minnesota and a final regular-season game against USC.