"He's on time and on target": CFB insider gives Julian Sayin credit for flourishing under Ohio State HC Ryan Day

It has been a stellar ride for quarterback Julian Sayin and the Ohio State Buckeyes ever since the 2025 season kicked off. The defending national champs are unbeaten so far. Coach Ryan Day has successfully managed to keep players in check by not allowing them to get overwhelmed by victories or crumble under pressure.

Starting with a win against the Texas Longhorns in the season opener and continuing to taking down Minnesota in Week 6, it has been a smooth ride for Sayin and the team. This weekend they will face Illinois on road and they enter as clear favorites to win the game.

According to college football analyst Joel Klatt, the matchup will be an interesting one to watch since Brett Bielema and his team have been incredibly good this season.

With only one loss, they are 5-1 in the Big Ten. Quarterback Luke Altmeyer has been phenomenal in terms of running the ball and utilizing his offensive unit deep inside the opponent's territory.

On the defensive front, Illinois are equally good. While all this gives Illinois an edge, Klatt claims Sayin could still win the game. However, he also rang alarm over Sayin's obsession with Jeremiah Smith and overutilizing the passer.

“As the season goes on, we're starting to see the reins of this offense, the aggressive nature of this offense, start to pick up. They've got Jeremiah Smith on the opposite side. But Sayin is playing really well,” Klatt said on his show on Thursday.

“His accuracy blows me away when I watch him on tape. He's on time and on target. There's no doubt. In fact, he's leading the country in completion percentage at this point.

"You can't just focus on Jeremiah Smith, even though he's the best player in college football, because on the other side, likely first-round pick Carnell Tate torched Minnesota a week ago,” he added.

Ryan Day gets real about Julian Sayin's development

Over the last six weeks, the sophomore quarterback displayed amazing grit and wowed fans with his accuracy. So far he has recorded 1,313 passing yards and scored 13 touchdowns while only conceding three interceptions.

He possesses a strong completion rate of 80.2% and was named Big Ten Freshman Player of the Week twice. While speaking to the reporters on Tuesday, Coach Day mentioned that his QB was on right track.

“Every situation is different and every quarterback is different, but at the end of the day they have to put it on the field,” Day candidly said about his passer while adding that the Illinois game would be a different challenge.

The Buckeyes are on the path to reclaim the title. Looking at their current pace, Day and team could lift the golden trophy as defending champions. Nevertheless, this coming weekend will be an absolute thriller for Big Ten fans at the Memorial Stadium.