Julian Sayin had a clear path to the Heisman Trophy, but a heartbreaking Big Ten title loss turned a potential coronation into a moment of deep regret. The 13–10 loss highlighted significant gaps in the Buckeyes’ offensive line. With the sting of that game still fresh, the 20-year-old was asked if he was thinking of the impact on his Heisman campaign.

“Not really a thought,” he said. “Just sick to my stomach that we lost and really wanted to win the conference for our university. It was definitely a tough loss, but move on, and we have more games to play.”

Sayin’s frustration is real as he regrets some of his plays. “Didn’t execute at the highest level and didn’t play our best football as an offense. I think our defense played well. They gave us an opportunity to win,” Sayin said. “Just as an offense, we didn’t play our best football. We’ve got to make sure things get corrected so we can play better in the next few weeks.”

Heading into Indianapolis, both teams were undefeated, and the stage was set for a heavyweight showdown. But the tight loss to Indiana exposed a few cracks in both Heisman contenders. Ironically, both quarterbacks threw their worst interceptions of the season in the opening quarter. Sayin’s mistake came first. He tried to squeeze a throw to Brandon Inniss into a tight window, thinking Indiana was sitting in Cover 3. Instead, it was a disguised Tampa 2. Safety Louis Moore read it perfectly, jumped the route, tipped the ball to himself, and picked it off. He brought it back to the Ohio State 23. Indiana turned the turnover into a field goal.

Then, with just 1:41 left, it was Mendoza’s turn. Ohio State’s Davison Igbinosun stepped in front of a pass and snagged the interception. The only problem is that Mendoza’s team won the game. Even though both these QBs were undefeated before this game, Julian Sayin couldn’t secure the victory to justify their No. 1 ranking in the playoffs. Sayin was right when he said that the Buckeyes’ defense under Matt Patricia did everything they could, holding the Hoosiers to their season low of 13 points. The red zone defense was extra elite as it held Indiana to just one touchdown on four red zone trips.

However, the OSU offense struggled to produce. Ohio State’s offensive line had a rough night. The QB was not afraid to point the finger at himself. “It starts with me”, said Sayin. Being a good leader, he did not throw shade at anyone. But the entire team was at fault.

After giving up just six sacks all season, they allowed five in this game alone. The Buckeyes kept putting together long drives, but couldn’t finish them. One of the biggest letdowns came on a fourth-and-1 QB sneak deep in Indiana territory that got stuffed. Then, in the fourth quarter, they missed a chip-shot 27-yard field goal that would’ve tied it. The run game didn’t help much either. Indiana’s defensive front shut it down, holding the Buckeyes to just 2.2 yards per carry.

Lastly, offensive coordinator Brian Hartline caught a lot of heat for calling pass plays on two crucial third-and-1 snaps inside the 10. Sayin was always going to be a Heisman finalist based on how dominant he’d been all season. But if he had pulled out the Big Ten title against Indiana, his chances of actually winning the trophy in New York would’ve shot up.

Controversial officiating didn’t help Sayin’s cause

Fans expected Julian Sayin to turn the Big Ten title game against Indiana into another Heisman coronation moment. Instead, it turned into a showcase of how thin the margins can be for even elite quarterbacks. Indiana’s front repeatedly harassed Sayin, collapsing the pocket and forcing him into sacks and hurried throws. The most polarizing one came when edge rusher Stephen Daley wrapped him up, only for the officials to end the play on a forward-progress ruling that stunned viewers and the broadcast booth alike.

On that snap, Daley beat his block off the edge and got his hands on Sayin in the backfield. He appeared to have him in the grasp as the quarterback spun and tried to stay upright. Right tackle Philip Daniels then committed a clear facemask in an effort to free Sayin, yanking Daley’s helmet and adding another layer of chaos to the play. Instead of letting the scramble play out or throwing multiple flags, the officials blew the play dead and credited Daley and Indiana with a sack, ruling that Sayin’s forward progress had stopped. This didn’t sit well with game announcer Joel Klatt.

“Got away from that now. Are they saying that he was in the grasp? No way they’re saying that,” Klatt said. “They’re going to say the forward progress was stopped. I mean, he is spinning around. I mean, he’s spinning around. How in the world do you call that progress?” In this context, the officials made a call that felt out of step with how Sayin had been treated all year. That includes earlier in the season when his ability to break contain and improvise helped Ohio State beat then-No. 1 Texas.