Julian Sayin: 5-Star QB’s Next Move Revealed — What It Means for Alabama and the 2025 Title Race

Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin’s meteoric rise has become the central storyline of the Buckeyes’ unbeaten march, and Saturday’s showdown against Penn State threatens to turn his already–white-hot spotlight into a full Heisman blaze. Through eight games the sophomore transfer from Alabama has completed an eye-popping 80 percent of his throws, better than the single-season marks posted by Bo Nix (77.4 %) and Joe Burrow (76.3 %) in their record-setting years. Sayin’s 1,872 yards, 19 touchdowns and just three interceptions have powered an attack averaging 41.6 points per game, good for fourth nationally. That efficiency has vaulted Sayin into every major Heisman Trophy ranking; Fox Sports analyst and 2011 winner Robert Griffin III placed the Buckeye passer at No. 2 on his mid-season ballot this week, trailing only Georgia Tech’s Haynes King. Las Vegas sportsbooks now list Sayin between +300 and +400, the shortest odds for an Ohio State signal-caller since C.J. Stroud in 2022. Sayin’s poise has even drawn friendly fire from his old coach. Appearing on ESPN’s College GameDay, retired Alabama legend Nick Saban joked he was a “dumb-***” for keeping the freshman on scout team snaps before the quarterback entered the portal in January. Saban’s quip underscores how quickly Sayin has become a national talking point. The 20-year-old added fuel to NFL draft conversations this week on the Downs 2 Business podcast, rattling off Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and C.J. Stroud as the professional quarterbacks he studies most, a list that revealed a preference for live-arm improvisers who thrive off-schedule. Off the field, Sayin also found himself in the social-media crosshairs after a viral post claimed he donated his “entire $1.2 million” in NIL earnings to create homeless support centers. Fact-checkers at Snopes debunked the story as completely fabricated, noting the Facebook page behind the rumor is managed overseas and routinely monetizes AI-generated clickbait. Ohio State officials confirmed no such donation occurred. While rumor mills churn, Ryan Day’s staff focuses on Saturday’s trip to Beaver Stadium, where the Nittany Lions boast the nation’s No. 6 scoring defense (14.1 ppg) and a disruptive front led by end Dani Dennis-Sutton. Penn State’s ability to disguise pressures will test Sayin’s quick-release timing that has produced just nine sacks all year. If the Buckeyes exit Happy Valley unscathed, Sayin will own signature wins over Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Penn State before November even begins—an ideal springboard for closing arguments in the Heisman race and, perhaps, in Ohio State’s chase for its first national title since 2014. Keywords: Julian Sayin, Ohio State quarterback, Heisman odds, completion percentage record, Penn State vs Ohio State, Nick Saban quote, NIL rumor, Buckeyes offense, College Football Playoff hopes.