Julian Sayin Was a Heisman Finalist Without the Spotlight - That’s About to Change in 2026
Julian Sayin didn’t have to play hero ball in 2025. He didn’t need to.
Ohio State’s freshman quarterback stepped into one of the most high-pressure gigs in college football and delivered exactly what was asked of him - and then some. He threw for 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns, and completed a staggering 77% of his passes, the best mark in the FBS.
That kind of efficiency doesn’t happen by accident.
He was calm, calculated, and when the moment called for it, he could drop a dime with the best of them. He even did what only one other quarterback in the Ryan Day era had managed - beat Michigan. That win alone snapped a four-year losing streak and cemented his place in Buckeye lore.
But here’s the thing: for all the numbers and accolades, Sayin wasn’t truly tested the way most Heisman finalists are. Not yet, anyway.
A Season Managed, Not Mastered
From the jump, the coaching staff made it clear they weren’t going to throw Sayin into the deep end if they didn’t have to. Week 1 against Texas was supposed to be a defining moment - No. 1 vs.
No. 3, the type of matchup that typically launches Heisman campaigns. But instead of letting Sayin air it out, Ryan Day and then-offensive coordinator Brian Hartline (now the head coach at South Florida) leaned on a veteran defense and a conservative game plan.
It worked. But it also meant Sayin’s breakout moment never quite arrived.
That became the theme of the season.
Against Washington and Illinois, Ohio State flexed its muscle by slowing things down and dominating anyway. Sayin didn’t need to be electric - just efficient.
And he was. But it didn’t exactly build a highlight reel worthy of the Heisman stage.
The Penn State game finally gave him a chance to open things up. Sayin responded with a sharp, explosive performance, and suddenly, the Heisman buzz got real.
But that win came against a Nittany Lions team already in freefall. James Franklin had been fired a month earlier, and the stakes just weren’t the same.
Then came The Game - and that’s where Sayin showed something different.
He threw a pick on his second pass attempt. But instead of folding, he bounced back with a 50-yard touchdown strike that helped seal the win.
It wasn’t just a response - it was a moment. And it mattered.
He delivered when it counted most, and that helped punch Ohio State’s ticket to the Big Ten Championship Game.
Mendoza Closed the Deal, Sayin Didn’t Get the Chance
In Indianapolis, Sayin squared off against Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, with everything on the line - team titles, playoff positioning, and individual hardware. Mendoza was ready. He didn’t just win the game; he closed his Heisman campaign with an exclamation point.
Sayin? He played well.
But the resume just wasn’t there. Not yet.
Mendoza had already stacked a season full of statement wins and big-time performances. Sayin had the numbers, the efficiency, the polish - but not the firework moments that define a Heisman season.
That could all change in 2026.
The Gauntlet Ahead
Ohio State’s upcoming schedule is a different beast entirely. As many as eight opponents could enter the season ranked in the AP Top 25 - and they might still be there when the Buckeyes face them. That means Sayin won’t just have the spotlight; he’ll be living in it every single week.
And this time, he’s not just a promising young quarterback. He’s a returning Heisman finalist on a team with national title expectations.
The bar is higher. The stage is bigger.
And the matchups? They’re loaded with quarterback duels that could define the season - and the Heisman race.
He’ll face Oregon’s Dante Moore and Texas’ Arch Manning - two of the three quarterbacks currently tied or ahead of him in the early Heisman odds. Then there’s TCU transfer Josh Hoover at Indiana, Michigan’s Bryce Underwood, USC’s Jayden Maiava, and Maryland’s Malik Washington. That’s a full slate of high-profile showdowns, and every one of them is a chance for Sayin to prove he’s not just in the conversation - he’s leading it.
No More Comfort Zone
Ohio State has sent four quarterbacks to New York since 2018. Sayin made it five in 2025.
But unlike his predecessors, he got there without ever needing to carry the team on his back. That won’t be the case this fall.
This is the year when the Buckeyes may need him to be more than just efficient. They may need him to be elite.
To take over games. To make the kind of plays that leave voters with no doubt.
Sayin didn’t need to be Superman last season. But if Ohio State is going to run the table, win the Big Ten, and return to the College Football Playoff, he might have to be.
The good news? Year 2 is when great quarterbacks often make their biggest leap.
The game slows down. The confidence ramps up.
And the cape - well, it’s time to put it on.
Julian Sayin has already shown he belongs on the big stage. Now, he gets the chance to own it.