The Ohio State football team knew they were going into a hostile environment against Washington. It was the first time that the Buckeyes had been on the road all season, and they had a tough test. Ohio State had a 7-3 lead in the first half, but they turned it on in the second half.
Julian Sayin wasn't given enough opportunities to throw the ball in the first half, but that changed after halftime. Sayin was able to play a great second half and finished the game 21/27 for 189 yards and two touchdowns. He did what was required for the Ohio State Buckeyes to get a win.
Sayin has now won two really big games early in his Ohio State football career, and Ryan Day has been very impressed with his freshman quarterback. Following the game, Day heaped on a bunch of praise for his quarterback during a postgame interview with CBS.
Ohio State coach puts a bunch of praise on Julian Sayin
Following the game, head coach Ryan Day made sure to give a bunch of praise to his quarterback, saying that he had "poise in the noise". That poise allowed the Buckeyes to win the game. Day also had a revealing comment regarding the film watching that he does.
Ryan Day on Julian Sayin's performance against Washington:
— Chase Brown (@chaseabrown__) September 27, 2025
"He's got composure. He's got poise," Day said. "He's got a bright future ahead of him."pic.twitter.com/3fvUKLmXNV
"He does a great job of communicating what he sees on the field. There are times where I see one thing on the field, and I watch the film, and he's right."
That's a great thing for a quarterback to possess when it comes to processing the game on the field. Sayin has shown that he is more than capable of winning a close game against a good opponent. That's what the Buckeyes need from him, because the defense they have is nasty.
With the elite defense the Buckeyes have, they don't need to be spectacular on offense. That doesn't mean that he won't eventually be at some point this season.