Five Things To Know About Ohio State Freshman Quarterback Luke Fahey

Ohio State Buckeyes freshman quarterback Luke Fahey will make his first start at The Horseshoe, in front of more than 100,000 fans, on Saturday against the No. 23 Oregon Ducks.

The game has massive postseason implications because both the No. 12-ranked Buckeyes and the Ducks must win the rest of their games to keep their College Football Playoff dreams alive.

With Julian Sayin sidelined by a shoulder injury, Fahey made his starting debut on the road at USC, completing 21 of 38 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown in a 30-18 loss.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Luke Fahey (13) warms up during the NCAA football game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Oct. 3, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Who is Fahey? Fahey’s rise in Columbus includes winning a quarterback competition against a five-star prospect, a record-setting high school performance and a connection to Oregon coach Dan Lanning. Here are five things to know about the quarterback leading Ohio State against Oregon.

1. Earned The Role Over A Former 5-Star Quarterback

Fahey was a three-star recruit in the 2026 class, ranked No. 586 overall and No. 35 among quarterbacks in the 247Sports Composite rankings. Of course, stars don't always indicate the type of collegiate career a recruit will have.

That recruiting pedigree didn’t stop him from moving ahead of sophomore quarterback Tavien St. Clair, a five-star prospect in the 2025 class who had an extra year in Ohio State’s program. Fahey earned the primary backup role behind Sayin, and Day selected him to start against USC after Sayin’s injury.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Luke Fahey (13) warms up prior to the NCAA football game against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas on Sept. 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

2. Luke Fahey Set Records As High School Quarterback

Fahey came to Ohio State from Mission Viejo High School in California, where he passed for more than 7,000 career yards.

As a sophomore in his first season starting, he threw for 2,184 yards and 26 touchdowns while leading Mission Viejo to the CIF State Division 1-AA championship. He later set a school record with an impressive 569 passing yards against Los Alamitos.

Fahey also played basketball and lacrosse, scoring 68 combined lacrosse goals during his sophomore and junior seasons.

3. Ryan Day Wants Fans To Rally Around Luke Fahey

Ohio State coach Ryan Day made his request clear... support the freshman in his first start in Columbus.

“When I talk about we need everybody to rally around the quarterback, that means the fans,” Day said. “We have the greatest fans in the world. We need to give them something to cheer for, but we need them to be there for us.”

Apr 18, 2026; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State head coach Ryan Day greets fans before the annual spring game at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The No. 12 Buckeyes have designated the game against Oregon to be their “Scarlet the Shoe” game, encouraging more than 100,000 fans to wear scarlet throughout the Horseshoe. The Buckeyes have an excellent home field advantage and the proof is in the pudding with their record. The Ducks will try to snap the Buckeyes’ 12-game home winning streak against that backdrop in Columbus.

4. Dan Lanning Remembers Luke Fahey As A Recruit

Oregon coach Dan Lanning remembers seeing Fahey as a high school prospect.

“I remember Luke coming out of high school, went by, seeing him when he was in high school and he's an operator,” Lanning said. “He's a really smart quarterback, right? He's a winner.”

Lanning pointed to the intelligence and poise required to operate Ohio State’s offense and how Fahey handled his debut on the road.

“This is an offense that has a lot of moving parts. I thought he handled it extremely well in that environment,” Lanning said.

Dec 31, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day (left) and Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning shake hands with the Leishman Trophy as a backdrop during the Rose Bowl head coaches press conference at Sheraton Grand LA. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

5. Ryan Day Wants More Help Around Luke Fahey

Day acknowledged that Fahey missed throws and worked through operational challenges against USC. He also issued a direct challenge to the rest of Ohio State's team, which committed 11 penalties in their second loss of the season vs. USC.

“Like we said, going into it, we all got to help this guy out, and I don't think we did,” Day said of Fahey. “I thought he had the right approach. It was not all perfect... He also made a lot of plays. He also had command of the huddle. He also showed some grit out there and toughness,” Day said.

Day was vocal that he checked in with the receivers and offensive line and that Fahey has the support of his offense.

With backup quarterback Dylan Raiola leading Oregon and Fahey starting for Ohio State, there is not shortage of storylines in Columbus on Saturday. Kickoff is at 12:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, Nov. 7 and will be broadcast on CBS. Ducks fans going to the game in Columbus are encouraged to wear green.

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