Ohio State redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Sayin (10) greets fans after the No. 1 Buckeyes defeated the Grambling State Tigers 70-0 Saturday. Credit: Sandra Fu | Managing Photo Editor
As the ball cut through 87 yards of sky, all Ohio State fans could do was hold their breath and hope potential was about to be realized.
When it landed in the hands of Jeremiah Smith, they knew it had.
In the 75-degree, late-summer air of Ohio Stadium, quarterback Julian Sayin finally delivered the performance Buckeye fans had hoped for but did not see in last week’s debut against Texas–sharp reads and precise throws that pushed Ohio State past Grambling State with ease, 70-0.
Sixteen passes to start the game. Sixteen completions. A Buckeye record–one of many sure to come.
For Sayin, every throw forged momentum.
“When you get those completions racking up, it builds confidence,” he said. “Then the energy from the other players starts building, too.”
Many of those reps seemed to solidify chemistry with Smith, and the scarlet-clad crowd roared as the duo discovered a rhythm that had yet to fully manifest a week earlier.
Sayin orchestrated an opening drive that ended with a touchdown to tight end Will Kacmarek just 2:31 into the first quarter.
The moment the fans had been waiting for came with 8:54 on the clock when Smith—quiet in the Texas game with 43 yards and two drops —finally looked like the Heisman frontrunner many expected.
Sayin launched a deep ball into Smith’s long stride for an 87-yard touchdown— the second longest in Ohio State history, trailing only Kenny Guiton’s 2013 90-yarder to Devin Smith v. Cal.
While the throw may have looked effortless, Sayin said the moment came down to the repetitions he’s had with his wide receiver in the weeks leading up to the season.
“We practiced that play all week, and it was awesome to go see us execute,” Sayin said.
Sayin and Smith’s connection continued. Three minutes into the second quarter, Sayin hit his receiver with a 9-yard strike for another score.
By the end of the first half, Sayin had thrown for 306 yards, more than double his total from the season opener.
With that, Sayin’s job was finished. He handed the ball off to quarterback Lincoln Kienholz, having ended his day with five touchdowns and 18 completions on 19 attempts.
Head coach Ryan Day said the performance was as much about testing his quarterback as it was about beating Grambling State.
“We were pushing the envelope a little bit to see how [Sayin] would respond and throw those,” Day said. “Because this is all for the first time for him, and no time for really learning on the job.”
Lincoln, St. Clair Log Time
Kienholz replaced Sayin to open the second half, recording his first minutes since Ohio State lost to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl in 2023.
In his 1 ½ quarters at the helm of the offense, Kienholz recorded 71 yards and six completions on seven attempts. He handed the ball off to running backs Bo Jackson and Isaiah West for two third-quarter rushing touchdowns and threw a 4-yard reception to tight end Jelani Thurman.
Tavien St. Clair took over with 10 minutes into the fourth quarter, handing the ball off to running back Sam Dixon for a 1-yard rushing touchdown with 30 seconds left in the game.
The Buckeyes are next in action when they host Ohio University, a 17-10 winner this week against West Virginia University, Saturday at 7 p.m.
