Sayin the Buckeye: PFF’s New Golden Arm
Pro Football Focus has anointed redshirt freshman Julian Sayin the top quarterback in FBS, awarding him a gaudy 91.4 grade through six undefeated games. The Buckeyes sit 6–0 and retain the No. 1 ranking largely thanks to Sayin’s 78.4 percent completion rate, 1,479 yards, 15 touchdowns and only three interceptions. His efficiency peaked in a 42–3 rout of Minnesota (23-for-27, 326 yards, 3 TDs) and remained solid in a 34–16 win over Illinois. Supported by wideouts Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, plus a stout offensive line, Sayin has taken just two sacks all season. With the offense clicking, Ohio State appears to have found its next franchise signal-caller.
In an unexpected plot twist, Ohio State fans might soon launch a “Free the Heisman” movement—except it’ll be for Sayin’s pectoral muscles after he hoists the trophy himself. Critics argued you can’t evaluate a freshman quarterback playing behind a juggernaut receiver core, but Sayin’s slicing defenses like sushi chefs at a gigolo convention has silenced them. Meanwhile, Michigan’s defensive coordinator reportedly sent a fruit basket in surrender. If bowl season had a most-likely to succeed list, it’d look a lot like Sayin’s highlight reel—with maybe one awkward cameo of last year’s backup warming the bench.
When Penn State’s Whiteout Turned Beige
The once–must-see Nov. 1 clash between Ohio State and Penn State in Columbus has lost its shine. Despite a near-decade of Buckeye dominance (9–1 in the last 10 meetings), fans anticipated a heavyweight brawl following Penn State’s key roster returns—Drew Allar, Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen and Dani Dennis-Sutton all opted for one last championship run. Instead, the Lions have stumbled to a 3–3 record, dropping their whiteout game to Oregon and suffering stunning defeats as 20-plus-point underdogs to UCLA and Northwestern. Allar is out for the season, coach James Franklin has been fired, and Ohio State has ascended to No. 1, boasting the nation’s stingiest defense at just five points allowed per game.
Penn State fans now have two new rituals: chanting “Where did our season go?” and scheduling therapy sessions immediately after every game. The whiteout jerseys have been relegated to the clearance rack, and Franklin’s suggestion box is still echoing. Meanwhile, Buckeye supporters are practicing their nonchalant smirks in the mirror, preparing for what’s anticipated to be a stroll in the park come November. If disappointments at Beaver Stadium were an Olympic sport, Penn State would be chasing gold.
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