Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin walked away with Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week honors after an incredible week two performance.

The accolades for Ohio State Buckeyes redshirt freshman Julian Sayin are beginning to pile up after another impressive start in week two.

In week one, Sayin led the program to a victory against the preseason No. 1 team in the Texas Longhorns. But on Saturday against the Grambling State Tigers, the young talent dominated, throwing for 306 yards and four touchdowns while completing 18 of his 19 pass attempts. This incredible start ultimately paved the way for Sayin to be named the Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week. 

As a former five-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, Sayin originally began his collegiate journey with the Alabama Crimson Tide after he enrolled early with the program out of high school. However, once legendary head coach Nick Saban announced his retirement following the conclusion of the 2024 college football season, Sayin would enter the transfer portal before taking a snap with the Crimson Tide. He would eventually join Ohio State's outstanding portal class along with fellow teammate Caleb Downs.

Despite head coach Ryan Day's massive haul in the portal, Sayin was not one of the impact players during the program National Championship run in 2025. Instead, he waited behind former Kansas State Wildcats' quarterback Will Howard, which has proven to pay off in the long run for California native. And while many believed Sayin would be the shoo-in start this season, he first had to beat out former 2023 four-star recruit Lincoln Kienholz to take over the starting position in 2025.

Luckily for Day, his decision to give Sayin the starting job has already paid off for the program. In his first career start, the young gunslinger did an excellent job of managing the game against Texas in week one. Even with a simple game plan for Sayin, he still threw for 126 yards and one touchdown while completing 13 of his 20 pass attempts.

As the playbook grew in week two for Sayin, his level of play was elevated over the course of one half. This included multiple tight-window throws, poise within the pocket, and his ability to effectively run offensive coordinator Brian Hartline's game plan to a tee against the Tigers.

The Buckeyes are now set to take on the Ohio Bobcats in week three, which marks the last non-conference game for Day and the program during the 2025 college football season. This will be another prime opportunity for Sayin to expand his play before Ohio State enters into conference play in week five on the road against the Washington Huskies.