After looking like a veteran throughout the regular season, Julian Sayin finally looked like a redshirt freshman in the Big Ten Championship Game.
For the second straight game, Sayin threw an interception on Ohio State's first drive. Unlike last week against Michigan, however, he never quite found his rhythm after that.
He completed 18 of his next 21 passes after the interception, and finished with 21 completions on 29 attempts for 258 yards and a touchdown. But whether it was the pressure Indiana put on Sayin throughout the game (specifically in the first 35 minutes) or the different coverages IU showed pre- and post-snap, Sayin was uncomfortable for much of the night. He was still able to make some great throws, but it also led to not trusting his eyes at times or not throwing to an open receiver when needed, and Ohio State finished the game with only 10 points as a result.
To take a closer look at Sayin's performance against Indiana, we charted all 29 of his pass attempts in the Buckeyes’ 13-10 loss. (Note: The passing chart is categorized by how many yards the quarterback threw the ball in the air past the line of scrimmage on each attempt and whether the ball reached its target inside or outside the hashes, though the stats listed include yards gained after the catch on each completion.
While Ohio State's offensive line kept Sayin clean the majority of the season, including a near-perfect game in the win over Michigan, the Buckeyes' front struggled mightily in pass protection against the Hoosiers, especially in the first half. Indiana used coverages, stunts and packages to confuse OSU's offensive line and Sayin, and the Hoosiers sacked Sayin five times in just over two quarters after he had been sacked just six times throughout the regular season.
There were times when Sayin couldn't do anything to avoid being sacked, but at other times, he missed an open receiver, which then led to him getting sacked instead.
Sayin struggled mightily under pressure against Indiana, completing just two of six passes for 58 yards on 11 of those dropbacks. When Indiana blitzed, he completed six of 11 throws for 54 yards and an interception.
Going into the Big Ten Championship Game, Sayin was one of the best quarterbacks in the country when passing the ball under pressure and when opponents blitzed, but that didn't continue Saturday night.
| PRESSURE | 2025 |
|---|---|
| kept clean | 231/278 (83.1%), 2,628 YARDS (9.5 PER ATTEMPT), 24 TD, 4 INT |
| under pressure | 48/78 (61.5%), 695 YARDS, (8.9 PER ATTEMPT), 7 TD, 2 INT |
| not blitzed | 181/229 (79%), 2,274 YARDS (9.9 PER ATTEMPT), 14 TD, 4 INT |
| blitzed | 98/127 (77.2%), 1,049 YARDS (8.3 PER ATTEMPT), 17 TD, 2 INT |
Although he had a lower completion percentage on play-action passes against Indiana, Sayin threw for more yards in that concept due to being able to find holes in Indiana's defense. That's especially the case when you factor in that 46 of his 126 passing yards without play action came on the final play.
Sayin has completed 79% of play-action passes this season, the best percentage in the FBS among quarterbacks who have thrown at least 100 passes in that concept. Sayin's 1,657 yards on those passes are the fourth-most in the country. Ohio State has used play action on 43.2% of Sayin's dropbacks this season, the 15th-most among quarterbacks who have thrown at least 100 play-action passes.
| PLAY ACTION | NON-PLAY ACTION | |
|---|---|---|
| vs. indiana (b1g championship game) | 9/13 (69.2%), 132 YARDS (10.2 PER ATTEMPT) | 12/16 (75%), 126 YARDS (7.9 PER ATTEMPT), 1 TD, 1 INT |
| at michigan | 7/8 (87.5%), 128 YARDS (16.0 PER ATTEMPT), 1 TD | 12/18 (66.7%), 105 YARDS (5.8 PER ATTEMPT), 2 TD, 1 INT |
| vs. rutgers | 4/4 (100%), 79 YARDS (19.8 PER ATTEMPT), 1 TD | 9/15 (60%), 78 YARDS (5.2 PER ATTEMPT) 1 TD |
| vs. ucla | 7/11 (63.6%), 50 YARDS (4.5 PER ATTEMPT) | 16/20 (80%), 134 YARDS (6.7 PER ATTEMPT), 1 TD |
| at purdue | 14/16 (87.5%), 165 YARDS (10.3 PER ATTEMPT), 1 TD | 13/17 (76.5%), 138 YARDS (8.1 PER ATTEMPT), 1 INT |
| vs. penn state | 9/11 (81.8%), 139 YARDS (12.6 PER ATTEMPT), 4 TD | 11/12 (91.7%), 177 YARDS (14.8 PER ATTEMPT) |
| At wisconsin | 18/21 (85.7%), 181 YARDS (8.6 PER ATTEMPT), 1 TD | 18/21 (85.7%), 213 YARDS (10.1 PER ATTEMPT), 3 TD |
| at Illinois | 5/9 (55.6%), 50 YARDS (5.6 PER ATTEMPT) | 14/18 (77.8%), 116 YARDS (6.4 PER ATTEMPT), 2 TD |
| vs. minnesota | 11/15 (73.3%), 186 YARDS (12.4 PER ATTEMPT), 2 TD | 12/12 (100%), 140 YARDS (11.7 PER ATTEMPT), 1 TD |
| at washington | 10/12 (83.3%), 95 YARDS (7.9 PER ATTEMPT) | 12/16 (75%), 113 YARDS (7.1 PER ATTEMPT), 2 TD |
| vs. ohio | 9/11 (81.8%), 150 YARDS (13.6 PER ATTEMPT), 1 TD, 1 INT | 16/21 (76.2%), 197 YARDS (9.4 PER ATTEMPT), 2 TD, 1 INT |
| vs. Grambling State | 11/11 (100%), 164 YARDS (14.9 PER ATTEMPT), 1 TD | 7/8 (87.5%), 142 YARDS (17.8 PER ATTEMPT), 3 TD, 1 INT |
| VS. TEXAS | 4/8 (50%), 58 YARDS (7.3 PER ATTEMPT), 1 TD | 9/12 (75%), 68 YARDS (5.7 PER ATTEMPT) |
| 2025 SEASON | 124/157 (79%), 1,657 YARDS (10.6 PER ATTEMPT), 13 TD, 1 INT | 155/199 (77.9%), 1,666 YARDS (8.4 PER ATTEMPT), 18 TD, 5 INT |
After not completing a pass 20-plus yards downfield the previous two games, Sayin has now completed five of his last eight deep balls for 208 yards and two touchdowns in the last two games with Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate returning to the lineup, including two of three for 98 yards against Indiana.
Sayin has completed 65.7% of those passes this season, the best percentage in the country. Sayin's 28.4 yards per attempt on those throws leads the FBS by a wide margin. His 11 touchdowns on deep throws are tied for the seventh-most in the country.
After struggling in the intermediate part of the field over the previous three games, completing just one of his last eight passes in that area of the field, Sayin completed three of four passes thrown 10-19 yards downfield for 50 yards in the Big Ten Championship Game.
He dominated when he threw the ball on the right side of the hashes Saturday night, even though his first pass on the right side of the field didn't come until his eighth pass attempt of the game, a nine-yard touchdown to Carnell Tate. Sayin completed 10 of 13 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown on the right side of the hashes.
| DEPTH (YARDS) | 2025 |
|---|---|
| 20+ | 23/35 (65.7%), 995 YARDS (28.4 PER ATTEMPT), 11 TD |
| 10-19 | 44/72 (61.1%), 734 YARDS (10.2 PER ATTEMPT), 7 TD, 1 INT |
| 0-9 | 151/185 (81.6%), 1,271 YARDS (7.0 PER ATTEMPT), 10 TD, 4 INT |
| BEHIND LOS | 61/64 (95.3%), 323 YARDS (5.0 PER ATTEMPT), 3 TD, 1 INT |
Below, we take a look at three of Sayin's good throws of the game, an interception that he would love to have back and a misread on a huge play late.
Bad Throw: Interception
Another opening-drive interception due to misreading the coverage. It happens, and Sayin will likely learn from it ... again.
Indiana looked like it was in Cover 3, but the defense was actually in Tampa 2, leading to the turnover.
SAYIN IS PICKED OFF @IndianaFootball takes the ball right back! pic.twitter.com/QZoD9SQAex
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 7, 2025
“Can't turn the ball over early in the game like that and put our defense in a bad spot,” Sayin said after the game. “Ended up giving up points for that, so those points are on me.
Sayin said he needs to get better at “just battling adversity and not letting it overtake my mind. Being able to move on to the next play.”
Good Throw: 9-yard Touchdown to Carnell Tate
Sayin scrambles to his right, stays calm and poised while keeping his eyes downfield and finds Tate wide open in the back of the end zone for Ohio State's only touchdown of the game.
Julian Sayin on the move to Carnell Tate for 6pic.twitter.com/BEbeoOybDs
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) December 7, 2025
Good Throw: 18-yard Completion to Jeremiah Smith
There's something about a wonderfully thrown back-shoulder pass. Sayin delivers it to where only Smith can get it against a much smaller cornerback, and the best wide receiver in college football proves it yet again with remarkable hands.
Jeremiah Smith is an alien.pic.twitter.com/XCOUKE8RbI
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) December 7, 2025
Good Throw: 20-yard Completion to Carnell Tate
Sayin eludes pressure and throws a dart to Tate while on the run on third-and-long.
Sayin to Tate for ANOTHER huge first down @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/tZDRgCG6rF
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 7, 2025
Misread: Misses Open Bo Jackson for Would-Be First Down
On 3rd-and-1, Sayin seemed to miss an open Bo Jackson out of the backfield and then threw it to Bennett Christian a little late for an incompletion.
This is the last 3rd and 1 before the missed FG. The play is designed to go to the RB in the flat. The RB is open. Still dont understand why Sayin didnt throw it. pic.twitter.com/A4PAknl3oJ
— Ross Fulton (@RossRFulton) December 8, 2025
"I thought the defender was too close, (Bo) was covered, so I moved onto my next read," Sayin said of the play.
Day said after the game that he didn't think his quarterback could do anything different on that play.
Ohio State missed a 27-yard field goal to tie the game on the next play.
Although he wasn’t at his best against Indiana, Sayin remains one of the best quarterbacks in the country entering bowl season and the College Football Playoff.
The Heisman finalist’s national rankings for the season include the following:
- First in completion percentage (78.4%)
- Tied-seventh in yards per attempt (9.3)
- First in passer rating (182.1)
- Tied-second in passing touchdowns (31)
- Second in QBR (89.6)
Sayin's passing chart for Ohio State’s first 13 games of the season:
