Ohio State redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Sayin (10) claps after a play during the game against Penn State Saturday. The No. 1 Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 38-14. Credit: Liam Ahern | Sports Photo Editor
When Julian Sayin threw for 126 passing yards in the season-opening 14-7 win over No. 1 Texas, questions swirled about whether the Buckeyes’ new quarterback would be anything more than a game manager.
Ten weeks later, those doubts have vanished.
The redshirt freshman now sits atop the Heisman odds after throwing for 2,188 yards and 23 touchdowns while completing a nation-leading 80.7 percent of his passes. He’s guided Ohio State to an 8-0 start and turned preseason uncertainty into one of the most efficient debut campaigns in program history.
The redshirt freshman now sits atop the Heisman odds after throwing for 2,188 yards and 23 touchdowns while completing a nation-leading 80.7 percent of his passes. He’s guided Ohio State to an 8-0 start and turned preseason uncertainty into one of the most efficient debut campaigns in program history.
But head coach Ryan Day noticed Sayin’s potential from his performance against the Longhorns.
“I was impressed with his poise, he had a good look in his eye, and what he was saying and what he was seeing was exactly what was going on, that’s a great sign,” Day said post-game on Aug. 30.
In three of his last four games – against Minnesota, Wisconsin and Penn State – Sayin has completed over 80% of his passes, for over 300 yards and at least three touchdowns in each game, catapulting him into Heisman talks.
Day described how Sayin’s command has changed the entire feel of the Buckeyes’ offense.
“If you’re an offensive player right now, to know that Julian’s back there with the ball coming out of his hands quickly and the confidence and decision-making, it’s obviously exciting to be around that,” Day said.
Sayin hasn’t thrown an interception in Big Ten play and continues to excel on deep throws, completing all four of his passes that traveled more than 20 yards in the 38-14 win over Penn State.
At his current pace, he would break Oregon quarterback Bo Nix’s single-season completion percentage record of 77.4 percent set in 2023.
Wide receiver Carnell Tate credited his quarterback’s accuracy, after his 111-yard, two-touchdown game in the Buckeyes’ 34-0 win over Wisconsin.
“It’s a blessing to have him throw the ball, very catchable balls, very accurate,” Tate said. “So you can’t ask for anything better than that.”
Following his week 10 performance, Ohio State launched #WeSayinHeisman, a campaign backing its first-year starter to become the Buckeyes’ first Heisman winner since Troy Smith in 2006.
Day said the attention surrounding Sayin’s Heisman push hasn’t changed the team’s mindset as it eyes its first Big Ten championship appearance since 2020 and another College Football Playoff run.
“If individual honors show up at the end of the season, they do,” Day said. “But that’s not the No. 1 goal.”
Still, even the coach who first saw Sayin’s potential back in August understands how far his quarterback has come.
“It’s clear to see that he is now playing at a level that we feel like we can reach our goals with,” Day said.
