What a night it was in Columbus! Julian Sayin dominated Grambling State with four TD passes, leaving another mark on Ohio State’s storied record book. He opened the game with 16 straight completions, the most ever by a Buckeye to start a contest, before finishing 18 of 19 for 306 yards, all in the first half. And his only blemish came on his 17th attempt, which was an interception. But Sayin quickly bounced back, connecting with wideouts Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss to close his night in style. So, was Ohio State’s offense absolutely untouchable?

Yes, the Buckeyes scored on eight of their first nine drives, and didn’t punt until the fourth quarter. They cruised to a 70-0 victory. Interestingly, it marked the ninth time in school history they’ve won by 70 or more, and the second shutout of an HBCU opponent in the past decade. After letting the defense dominate and playing it safe on offense in the opener against Texas, Ryan Day wanted to unleash the offense against Grambling State. The Buckeyes took deep shots even when backed up near their own end zone. Day pointed to those moments as proof that more responsibility is being handed to Julian Sayin each week. “He handled it well,” the coach noted, praising how his young quarterback managed the game while making plays through the air.

It was a near-perfect night, and a statement that he’s ready to lead the nation’s top-ranked team. Sayin’s performance in Week 2 has earned him Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors. Honestly, the young Buckeye looked poised beyond his years, orchestrating an offense that never slowed down. “I had a lot of fun today,” said Sayin with a grin, before turning the spotlight away from himself. And he credited his teammates instead, stating, “I can’t say enough about the receiving room, the running backs, and the offensive line. Just everyone doing their part in making the offense move.” Following that, OSU HC Ryan Day didn’t hold back in praising his young QB.

He said Julian Sayin “did a nice job” as Ohio State shifted gears from a cautious plan against Texas to an all-out attack against Grambling State. “You saw a lot more RPOs. You saw a lot of things coming out of his hand,” explained Day. Then he pointed to a moment when the Buckeyes started deep inside their own territory and still took a big shot downfield. “Down in the red zone, we were throwing it. We were really forcing the issue down there,” remarked Day. So, the message was clear: Day is trusting Sayin more each week. “There’s more we’re putting in his hands to manage the game,” the coach said, underscoring just how quickly the freshman is earning responsibility in the offense. But it wasn’t just the HC giving credit. Sayin’s WR teammate also praised the young QB while celebrating his own record-breaking performance.

Jeremiah Smith’s take on Julian Sayin

The Buckeyes entered the season with questions swirling around the team. Yes, losing so much talent from last year’s national title team left fans wondering how Ryan Day’s squad would respond. But after two games, the picture is crystal clear.

Jeremiah Smith may have had a quiet start against Texas, catching just 6 passes for 43 yards. But against Grambling State, he exploded. He hauled in five receptions for 119 yards. And he also racked up two touchdowns, including an 87-yard catch-and-run: the longest pass play in Buckeyes history.

Smith couldn’t hide his admiration for his quarterback, “It’s crazy,” stated Smith. “I’ve been seeing it since his freshman year, since last year. Nothing surprises me at this point. He can make any and every throw. He’s controlling the offense at a very good pace right now, so I’m very excited for him.” Now, with such a loaded roster, could the Buckeyes repeat as national champions this year?