Eric Boggs
Julian Sayin continues to prove why he’s one of the brightest stars in college football. Following his 393-yard, four-touchdown performance in Ohio State’s 34-0 victory over Wisconsin, the freshman quarterback was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career and Freshman of the Week for the third time this season. His accuracy and command were on full display Saturday, completing 36 of 42 passes for an 85.7 percent completion rate. The 393 passing yards marked a career high and were the most by an Ohio State quarterback since C.J. Stroud’s record-setting 573 yards in the 2022 Rose Bowl.
Head coach Ryan Day praised Sayin’s maturity and poise in his postgame comments. “We really tried to put a lot on his plate today and let him push the ball down the field,” Day said. “I thought he made some really good decisions… he’s making good decisions, and I thought he made a couple of really good scramble plays down the stretch as well.”
Sayin’s connection with his receivers has been electric, and it was on full display in Madison. His first pass of the game went to Carnell Tate, who made a highlight-reel grab between two defenders, lost his helmet, and still found the end zone. Sayin later hit Tate again for another first-quarter touchdown before connecting with Will Kacmarek for a short two-yard score and Brandon Inniss for a 13-yard touchdown in the fourth. The performance drew glowing praise from Tate, who didn’t hold back when asked about his quarterback. “He’s the truth,” Tate said. “He’s the Heisman winner. Ain’t no question, ifs, ands, or doubts. Each and every week, he goes out there to prove to us why he’s a Heisman winner.”
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Sayin currently has the third-best odds to win the Heisman Trophy (+400), trailing only Alabama’s Ty Simpson (+320) and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza (+340). With his weekly accolades piling up and Ohio State unbeaten through seven games, Sayin is firmly in the thick of the national conversation for college football’s top individual honor.
Up next for Sayin and the Buckeyes is another marquee opportunity to make a statement — a November 1 home matchup against Penn State that will once again take center stage on FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff. The noon start time comes as no surprise, given FOX’s heavy investment in the Big Noon time slot and Ohio State’s consistent draw as one of college football’s premier brands. “FOX loves the Buckeyes,” Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork said earlier this year. “Big Noon is a big deal. They’ve invested in that time slot. So we’ll presume it’s a 12 noon kickoff.”
While Penn State’s recent struggles — a four-game losing streak that’s dropped the Nittany Lions to 3-4 — have cooled some of the preseason hype surrounding the matchup, it remains one of the Big Ten’s most-watched rivalries. With both teams coming off bye weeks, the Buckeyes will aim to stay perfect and secure their ninth straight win over Penn State, while the Nittany Lions will try to end a drought that dates back to 2016.
It will also mark the fourth consecutive year that Ohio State’s most anticipated home game kicks off at noon, much to the frustration of Buckeye fans who continue to hope for a primetime showdown in the Horseshoe. Still, as Ryan Day’s team prepares to defend its home turf once again, the focus remains on execution, growth, and the pursuit of perfection — led by a freshman quarterback who looks more like a Heisman veteran with each passing week.
