The Ohio State Buckeyes started the season strong under first-year head coach Julian Sayin; however, things did not end well as they aimed to repeat as national champions.
Sayin had an excellent start to the regular season, going 12-0. However, they ended the season with consecutive losses to the Indiana Hoosiers in the Big Ten Championship Game and the Miami Hurricanes in the Cotton Bowl Classic in the College Football Playoff.
Despite any challenges, Sayin had a strong year, becoming the team's starter after previously sitting behind Will Howard in 2024. He completed 77% of his passes, throwing for 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions, achieving a passer rating of 177.5.
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On the show "See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack,"college football analyst David Pollack was asked by his co-host, Brent Rollins, who also works for Pro Football Focus, about the most clutch quarterbacks in the sport. Pollack initially named Sayin, but then reconsidered his ranking, noting that Sayin hasn't been in many clutch situations.
"Julian Sayin is probably high, but Julian Sayin didn't have a lot of fourth-quarter moments because they were winning so much," Pollack said.
Rollins stated that Sayin is not among the top five most clutch quarterbacks in the sport. He noted that Sayin has had just over 50 dropbacks in the fourth quarter, primarily because many of the games have been one-sided.
Although Sayin may not be considered one of the most clutch quarterbacks in the sport, he is certainly among the best. If he can improve on last year's performance, he could not only lead Ohio State to another undefeated regular season but also help them secure their second national championship in three years.
