How one Julian Sayin pass changed entire trajectory of College Football Playoff

The Ohio State Buckeyes were in the redzone early in their Cotton Bowl matchup against the eventual national championship-qualifying Miami Hurricanes New Year's Eve in Arlington.

Unfortunately for Buckeye Nation, the game-defining play may have been a back-breaking interception that prevented the Buckeyes from remaining in the game until the final drive.

A Julian Sayin pick-6, though, may have opened the floodgates for the eventual 24-14 loss.

If Julian Sayin makes this easy, simple and routine throw the game is 7-7 and there is no pick 6.

The pick 6 changed and shifted the entire game not only in literal score but momentum/confidence. pic.twitter.com/2fvfHg2avh
— Buckeyes (@OhioStateAddict) January 1, 2026

Sayin commented on it shortly after the loss, fully regretting what exactly happened on the play.

“I think there were some opportunities today where I could have maybe taken off and scrambled for some yards,” Sayin said. "I think there were some opportunities today where I could have maybe taken off and scrambled for some yards."

Sayin added he was displeased by another flaw that impacted the game.

"Took some sacks that weren’t necessary and got us into tougher situations," Sayin said.

Sayin admitted another underlining mistake that made a huge difference in the loss, too.

“They have two really good edge rushers,” Sayin said. “So, we knew we were going to get the ball out of our hand quick. There were times today where I held onto the football, and they were able to get after me and get some sacks.”

Coach Ryan Day said several factors contributed to the loss, but that early sequence really set the tone for the actual outcome.

"I felt like it took us a while to get into the rhythm of the game," Day said. "I thought we did coming out of the second half. By then it was going to take a very, very efficient second half to win the game, being down 14-0. But I felt like at that point we got into a rhythm. When we had that drive there where we took a shot, it was incomplete and the next play was a hold, that got us way behind the chains. That was the drive that we needed to go win the game."

Ultimately, though, despite Sayin taking responsibility for the interception, Day put the majority of the blame on himself for the defeat.

"I think the guys bought into it," Day said. "But at the end of the day, we didn't get it done. That starts with me and goes down from there. I take responsibility for not getting the guys ready. As you know, we spent an inordinate amount of time putting the plan together to get everybody ready to go play in that first half, and we didn't win the first half. We gotta figure out why that was and learn from it moving forward."

if there is one positive takeaway, it's that the Buckeyes could have their only two losses coming to the two teams playing in the national championship game as the Indiana Hoosiers defeated the Oregon Ducks Friday night in the Peach Bowl.