Julian Sayin Steps Into the Spotlight as Ohio State Eyes Another CFP Run
COLUMBUS, Ohio - A year ago, Will Howard was the steady hand at quarterback for Ohio State - a battle-tested veteran who helped guide the Buckeyes through the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. Now, he’s learning behind Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh. But back in Columbus, his influence is still very much part of the Buckeyes’ DNA.
Especially for Julian Sayin.
Sayin, the former five-star prospect and current Ohio State starter, watched Howard closely - particularly when the lights were brightest. Howard didn’t just play well in the postseason; he elevated.
And that’s the blueprint Sayin is now trying to follow as No. 2 seed Ohio State gears up for a CFP quarterfinal showdown with No. 10 seed Miami in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31.
“As a quarterback, and as Coach Day always says, the best players are their best in the biggest games,” Sayin said Monday. “That’s definitely something that we have to do moving forward.”
Howard’s lone season in Columbus didn’t check every box - the Buckeyes missed out on a Big Ten title and fell to Michigan - but he still delivered a 10-2 regular season, 2,860 passing yards, and 27 touchdowns. That was enough to earn Ohio State the No. 8 seed in last year’s CFP.
But it was the postseason where Howard really turned heads. In four playoff games - wins over Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame - he threw for 1,150 yards and eight touchdowns, adding 95 yards on the ground.
More than the numbers, though, Howard brought leadership. After the loss to Michigan, the Buckeyes needed someone to steady the ship.
Howard did just that.
Now, Sayin finds himself in a similar spot. Ohio State’s loss to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game wasn’t as emotionally charged, but it was a gut punch nonetheless. And just like Howard did a year ago, Sayin has to be the one who rallies the team.
He’s already shown flashes of brilliance. Sayin finished fourth in Heisman voting, racking up 3,323 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, and just six interceptions.
In crucial November matchups against Penn State and Michigan, he averaged nearly 270 yards per game and tossed seven touchdowns. That’s big-time production in big-time moments.
But the Big Ten title game? That was a step back.
Sayin threw for 258 yards with one touchdown and a pick - and nearly 20% of those yards came on a late, meaningless throw to Jeremiah Smith. Not the kind of performance that wins playoff games.
“I’m hard on myself,” Sayin admitted. “If I make a mistake, I’m hard on myself. I’m the first one to put it on me, but I think just it’s been a great season, and I’m just excited for it to continue.”
That continuation won’t be easy. Miami’s defense is no joke - they rank eighth nationally in yards per play allowed and bring serious heat off the edge with Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor, who combined for 4.5 sacks in their first-round win over Texas A&M.
And if the Buckeyes get past the Hurricanes? Things only get tougher.
Georgia could be waiting in the semifinals, with the nation’s 19th-ranked defense in yards per play allowed. A potential national championship matchup could feature Alabama, Indiana, Oregon, or Texas Tech - all of whom rank in the top 25 defensively, with Tech sitting at No.
So no, there’s no Will Howard this time around. No fifth-year veteran to lean on.
But there is Julian Sayin - a young quarterback who’s already shown he can carry this team when it matters. If Ohio State wants to go back-to-back for the first time in program history, Sayin doesn’t just have to be good - he has to be great.
And he knows it.