The Realistic Path for Ohio State QB Julian Sayin To Win Heisman Trophy

Julian Sayin had a phenomenal season in 2025 for the Ohio State Buckeyes, by almost any measure.

The Big Ten Freshman of the Year and second-team All-Big Ten passer came close to leading the Buckeyes to their first back-to-back National Championships after an undefeated regular season catapulted him into the select group of Heisman finalists.

Although the Natty ultimately went to Indiana and the Heisman to the Hoosiers’ own Fernando Mendoza, Sayin can no doubt finish what he started this time around. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Sayin is currently tied in fifth place (+1300) among the betting favorites for the Heisman with his teammate Jeremiah Smith, and Oregon quarterback Dante Moore.

So, what does Julian Sayin have to do in order to become Ohio State’s seventh different Heisman Trophy recipient in 2026? Let’s take a look:

Own the calendar

Ohio State will face what’s shaping up to be one of college football’s most difficult schedules in 2026, including a top-level challenge at Texas early on, plus road games at Iowa, Indiana and USC, and home games against Oregon and Michigan among the most notable dates.

Even though Ohio State did navigate last year’s regular season unscathed before ending their campaign on a two-loss streak, some of the cracks started showing towards the second half of the year. Sayin can’t let that happen again.

A loss against the Longhorns wouldn’t be a death sentence, but how he performs during October with three really tough road games (against Hawkeyes, Hoosiers and Trojans) followed up by a home game against the Ducks to open November will likely determine if Sayin is still in the running for the sport’s most prestigious individual award.

Make everybody shine

This one sounds way easier than it actually is. Last year, Sayin not only helped Smith confirm himself as the Nation’s top wide receiver, but he helped Carnell Tate develop into a Top-5 draft pick in the process.

This year, he’s got to do even more. Anything under 1,400 yards and 15 touchdowns for Smith might be considered a disappointment. Nonetheless, he can’t focus exclusively on his fellow Heisman candidate. True freshman Chris Henry Jr. should be a part of the mix, and Brandon Inniss is coming back to better his draft outlook. Incoming transfers Kyle Parker and Devin McCuin at wideout, and Hunter Welcing and Mason Williams need to get involved as well, to help Sayin achieve some respectable numbers.

I think it will be pretty hard for anybody here to obtain 2025 Tate-like numbers this year (51 catches, 875 yards, nine touchdowns) -- part of the reason why I believe Smith’s totals can and need to grow significantly -- but everybody has to chip in.

Allowing Sayin to make some things happen with his legs can also help his cause.

Win out in the home stretch

Despite whatever happens up to that Oregon game, Ohio State cannot lose another game once mid-November arrives. At that point, they close out their regular season at home against Northwestern, on the road at Nebraska, and at home against Michigan. The first two games should be blowouts, and the third one should be a decisive win over the Wolverines, much like last year’s 27-9 affair.

After that, Sayin would likely have one last chance to impress Heisman voters, at the Big Ten Championship game in December... if he can lead the Buckeyes all the way there. If Ohio State is left out of the conference game, it’s really hard to believe he’d have the Trophy all wrapped up by then.

Collect a few Heisman moments along the way

Last year, Mendoza’s Heisman moment was pretty obvious: Indiana’s QB led a game-winning drive by finding Omar Cooper in the back of the endzone with 36 seconds left for a 27-24 victory, preserving Indiana’s perfect season. Mendoza came up huge when the Hoosiers needed him the most against Penn State, and he never relinquished his status as the Heisman favorite after that.

Sayin faced a different challenge last year. Thanks in part to the Buckeyes’ elite defense, Ohio State didn’t play a close game after beating Texas in Week 1, until they lost to Indiana for the Big Ten title. The Buckeyes didn’t need Sayin to command a memorable two-minute offense for the win during that period.

That won’t be the case this year. Up against this year’s schedule, Sayin will have to answer at critical moments throughout the season, making big plays with his arm and his legs. Even if the Buckeyes should come out on the losing end of a couple of those matchups, Sayin can’t afford to let the L’s fall on his shoulders if he expects to be in contention for the Heisman.

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