Going into the game for Ohio State against Kent State, there wasn’t always going to be a whole lot to learn about this Buckeyes team against an opponent they were favored by 52.5 points against heading into kickoff.

The game did reveal something significant, though. A player once figured to be a future starter for Ohio State may not be that guy, and it’s looking increasingly likely he won’t be after the 59-3 win over Kent State.

Luke Fahey continues to solidify his place as Ohio State’s No. 2 quarterback

Ohio State entered the 2026 college football season with most people figuring that quarterback Tavien St. Clair would be the backup to Julian Sayin and the future starter in 2027. That’s looking like it’s not going to happen, and the Kent State game provided more evidence.

Ohio State again entered true freshman quarterback Luke Fahey as its second quarterback, and he was pretty good. Fahey went 4-of-5 for 141 yards and a touchdown pass. He did throw one interception on a play where wide receiver Brock Boyd was likely interfered with, but it wasn’t called. It was a deep ball downfield, the kind of throw you can live with.

It wasn’t until late in the fourth quarter that Ohio State entered its third quarterback, St. Clair, and that tells you everything about where he sits on the depth chart right now.

Tavien St. Clair’s struggles showed against Kent State

St. Clair’s only pass of the game was an interception on a play where he had another receiver open in the area and simply threw a ball that shouldn’t have been thrown. Ohio State’s only points given up was a field goal after the interception deep in their own territory. The former 5-star recruit in the class of 2025 is a 6-foot-4, 235-pound quarterback from the Buckeye State who has all the physical tools in the world to be the quarterback at Ohio State. He just doesn’t seem to be there with the mental part of the game yet, and that’s hindered his growth in Columbus.

From here, it’s hard to see St. Clair being the starter at Ohio State next year. If he’s not the starter, there’s no reason for a former 5-star recruit to stick around when he could go to a lower level elsewhere and battle to be a starter.

It’s time for Ohio State fans to accept that right now, it’s just not looking like St. Clair is going to be on the roster next year. The transfer portal come January could be the move for him, as he is buried on the depth chart in Columbus.

Ohio State’s quarterback room could look very different next season, and the Kent State game was another step in the wrong direction for a player who came to Ohio State with sky-high expectations.