Why Ann Arbor cold weather won't impact Ohio State QB Julian Sayin for 'The Game'

Ohio State coach Ryan Day brushed off the belief that his quarterback, Julian Sayin, would not be ready for the cold weather elements in Ann Arbor Saturday when the Buckeyes visit the Michigan Wolverines (noon ET, Fox) with a trip to Indianapolis on the line with a win.

The Buckeyes haven't qualified for the conference title game since 2020, a 22-10 victory against the Northwestern Wildcats. Also, in that span, the Buckeyes have yet to defeat Michigan, regardless of the stakes or where the game has taken place.

Day attempts to validate the narrative that Ohio State can't beat Michigan by flipping it on its head. To do so, he will need his quarterback to deliver in a big way, even amongst conditions where some reports indicate it will be 30° with an "80 percent chance of snow."

“The good news is we practice in Ohio, so he’s getting used to it,” Day told reporters Wednesday. “We’ve had some days that have been cold here. Like I tell him, you just got to handle it better than your opponent.”

Ryan Day on Julian Sayin playing in cold weather in Ann Arbor:

“The good news is we practice in Ohio, so he’s getting used to it,” Day said with a laugh. “We’ve had some days that have been cold here. Like I tell him, you just got to handle it better than your opponent.”
— Chase Brown (@chaseabrown__) November 26, 2025

Day said a key target Sayin may be eying is wide receiver Brandon Inniss, who he has seen vast improvement from recently. Entering "The Game," Inniss has two touchdowns thus far this season. His most recent came last month in a shutout against the Wisconsin Badgers.

Ryan Day said Brandon Inniss' competitiveness is “contagious around the offense.”

“Another guy that has to step up, and he has in terms of his leadership,” Day said. “He’s a captain, has a great personality, has a voice on the team. He’s super competitive. He’s got a toughness,…
— Chase Brown (@chaseabrown__) November 26, 2025

“Another guy that has to step up, and he has in terms of his leadership,” Day said. “He’s a captain, has a great personality, has a voice on the team. He’s super competitive. He’s got a toughness, a competitive toughness. He’s got an edge to him. He’s competitive in terms of when he’s on the field, but just in general in life, that’s the way he’s wired. It’s contagious around the offense.”

Day says the Buckeyes are ready for whatever Michigan throws their way. He said he is pleased with the confidence level that he has seen from his group ever since last week's Rutgers game ended. The focus couldn't be any clearer, he said.

"I say it all the time. It’s about us and our execution," Day said. "They’re very good, but so are we,” Day said. “We need to make sure that we’re locked in to what we’re doing, executing at a high level, understanding the situations and having great balance in the game.”

Should Ohio State come away undefeated, it will give them a nice cushion, knowing they have a chance not only to repeat as champions but also to enter the postseason as the best team in the sport.

Only time will tell if that becomes reality