College Football's Most Important Players in 2026: No. 12 QB Julian Sayin, Ohio State

The play that ended Ohio State's season took about 12 seconds. Quarterback Julian Sayin flipped a screen pass toward the flat at AT&T Stadium on New Year's Eve, and Miami defensive back Keionte Scott jumped it, returning the interception 72 yards for the second-longest pick-six in College Football Playoff history.

The Hurricanes won the Cotton Bowl quarterfinal 24-14, and the defending national champions went home after one playoff game.

That is the last image of a season in which Sayin was otherwise close to flawless. The Carlsbad, California native completed 77% of his passes, the best single-season mark in Ohio State history, a Big Ten record and the third-highest figure in FBS history behind only Bo Nix and Mac Jones.

Now he returns as the centerpiece of a roster built to win the championship it let slip away.

<< Previous: No. 13: CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

No. 12: Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State Buckeyes

Sayin threw for 3,610 yards with 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions in his first season as the Buckeyes' starter, finishing second nationally with a 177.46 passer rating and fourth in touchdown passes. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist and led Ohio State to a 12-0 regular season, including a 27-9 win over Michigan that snapped a four-game losing streak in The Game.

"That's something we needed to get done," Sayin said of beating the Wolverines. "But there's still more."

The two things left undone last season came in December. Indiana sacked Sayin five times and beat Ohio State 13-10 in the Big Ten Championship Game, the program's first conference title game appearance since 2020.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin — Quarterback Julian Sayin will be critical to the Buckeyes' chances of winning a national championship. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Miami then sacked him five more times in Arlington, where he threw two interceptions and the Buckeyes fell short of a repeat. Ohio State has not won a Big Ten title since that 2020 appearance, despite winning it all in the 2024 season.

Critics used the 2026 NFL Draft to sharpen the point that all might not be right at Ohio State next year because so many players moved on. Receiver Carnell Tate went No. 4 overall, one of four Buckeyes selected in the first 11 picks, and some argued Ohio State's short, safe passing game held back his talent.

"We want to put another one of those banners up. The standard at Ohio State is to win every game. We've seen what the players that came before us have done, and it's our responsibility to uphold that standard," Sayin said.

Julian Sayin leads a new Ohio State offense under Arthur Smith

The offense around Sayin changed with almost every position group this offseason. Former offensive coordinator Brian Hartline left to become the head coach at South Florida, and head coach Ryan Day replaced him with Arthur Smith, the former Atlanta Falcons head coach and Pittsburgh Steelers coordinator with 17 years of NFL experience.

Cortez Hankton arrived from LSU to coach receivers, while quarterbacks coach Billy Fessler stayed on to continue working with the second-year starter.

"We hit it off right from the beginning," Day said of Smith. "I just think he's going to bring so much to the table for our team and I think Buckeye Nation is gonna really like what he brings to the table."

Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Arthur Smith watches during the Ohio State football spring game. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Several playmakers around Sayin are still strong, with Jeremiah Smith, the top returning receiver in college football, who is set to deliver another big season after catching 87 passes for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns. Plus, running back Bo Jackson, receiver Brandon Inniss and four starting offensive linemen are back.

Freshman wideout Chris Henry Jr. could start right away after Tate's departure and transfer exits thinned the receiver room clearing his path toward playing time.

Day said on his radio show that Ohio State has the best quarterback in the country coming back, so there's no shortage of confidence. That self-assuredness makes sense for a program consistently delivering at least 11 wins and never more than two losses in every season since Day's arrival.

The schedule gives Sayin early and late tests. Ohio State opens against Ball State on Sept. 5 at 12:30 p.m. ET, then travels to Texas for a Sept. 12 game at 7:30 p.m. ET in Austin. Finally, there's The Game against Michigan at home on Nov. 28 at noon ET to close out the regular season.

Add us as a preferred source on Google