Julian Sayin eying Heisman as Buckeyes chase postseason glory

INDIANAPOLIS — After coming up short in the Big Ten Championship Game, and suffering his first loss of the season, the Ohio State quarterback refuses to hang his head, knowing there’s more to accomplish.

Julian Sayin put together a magnificent campaign this year with the Buckeyes, and will be up for several awards this postseason, including the Heisman, which will take place in the Big Apple Saturday night. It’s mind-boggling that Sayin only attempted 12 passes in 2024, but threw for 3,323 yards, 31 touchdowns and six interceptions through 13 games this season.

He quickly blossomed into one of the best gunslingers in the country under Brian Hartline’s direction. So there’s no mystery why Sayin leads the entire FBS in completion percentage, and passing efficiency. Last Saturday’s loss to Indiana didn’t do Sayin any justice in the Heisman race, and he views it as one of his worst performances as the starter.

Although he completed 21 of his 29 passes for 258 yards and a touchdown, Sayin didn’t execute in the red zone, was sacked five times and threw an interception. It wasn’t the lasting impression he wanted to leave, and now Sayin is determined to rebound in the Playoffs.

“Yes we’ve got to do better execution-wise, and it starts with me,” Sayin said. “I just gotta be able to, when we get down there, just put point on the board.”

However, one game shouldn’t overshadow what Saying did all season, which is win and orchestrate the nation’s top offense. That’s why Coach Ryan Day doesn’t want Sayin to be too hard on himself. Day understands it’s still a team game, but someone has to take the shoulder of the blame after losing, and most of the time it’s the quarterback.

“I know it wasn’t maybe perfect, but I thought Julian played well,” Day said. “I thought he played hard, was gritty, and had some tough situations where he didn’t make bad situations worse, quite honestly.”

Once the smoke cleared at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza got the win, hoisted the Big Ten Championship trophy and that’s what Sayin is going to remember. Mendoza will also be sitting alongside Sayin at the Heisman presentation ceremony, and appears to be the clear-cut favorite to win the hardware.

Sayin knows there’ll be plenty of opportunities to have the last laugh, regardless of who wins the Heisman, with the Playoffs looming. He’s eager to prove Ohio State’s last game was a fluke. After all, the loss to Michigan last year gave Ohio State the drive it needed to win the National Championship. Sayin feels that’s the same kind of vibe in the locker room after the loss to the Hoosiers, and they’re ready for another amazing run this time around.

“Yeah, I think last year with me being a freshman, I just saw that group stick together,” he said. “And the leadership in that group they were together, and that’s going to be a big part for us, just sticking together and having each other’s backs.”

The most prestigious award in sports is still up for grabs though, and Sayin is confident that his passing numbers are noteworthy. At the end of the day, he just wants to be the one to carry the Buckeyes to the finish line. Becoming the first Ohio State quarterback to win the Heisman since Troy Smith would be monumental. And if Sayin doesn’t win it, he’s still building an amazing legacy with the Buckeyes.

The Californian is already the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year because of his success on the gridiron. Ohio State’s loss to Indiana will likely decide who wins the Heisman, and if that’s the case, Sayin can live with that, knowing he didn’t deliver in the clutch.

“As a quarterback, ultimately you’re judged on how the offense does and when we score points or not.”