Lead
For the fifth time in eight years Ohio State’s starting quarterback has reached the Heisman Trophy final. Julian Sayin flew into New York on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, and will be one of four finalists recognized at the Heisman ceremony the following night. Sayin’s 2025 campaign produced historic accuracy and a 12-1 mark for the Buckeyes, including Ohio State’s first win over Michigan since 2019. While preseason favorites and award winners point to Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza as the betting favorite after an undefeated regular season and a Big Ten title victory, Sayin’s season remains one of the most efficient in recent college-football history.
Key Takeaways
- Julian Sayin completed 78.4% of his passes (279 of 356) in 2025, leading the nation in completion percentage and ranking first in passer rating at 182.2.
- Sayin finished the regular season 12-1 as Ohio State’s starter with 3,323 passing yards, 31 passing touchdowns and six interceptions.
- Fernando Mendoza is the heavy favorite after a 13-0 season, 2,980 passing yards, 33 TDs and a head-to-head win over Sayin in the Big Ten Championship.
- Diego Pavia offers elite dual-threat value (3,192 pass yards, 826 rush yards, 9 rushing TDs) and is the top rushing QB among the finalists.
- Among Ohio State’s modern Heisman finalists (2018–2025), Sayin’s 78.4% completion rate is the highest by a margin of more than seven percentage points.
- Compared with recent Heisman winners, Sayin’s efficiency rivals the best, but his raw yards and total touchdowns remain lower than most winners from the past decade.
Background
The Heisman Trophy historically rewards a blend of individual excellence and team success; voters frequently favor high-volume production and winning records. Since 2018 Ohio State has supplied multiple Heisman finalists—Dwayne Haskins (2018), Justin Fields (2019), C.J. Stroud (2021, 2022) and now Julian Sayin (2025)—reflecting the program’s sustained quarterback talent and national prominence. Troy Smith’s 2006 campaign remains the only Buckeye quarterback season in the modern era to win the Heisman, underscoring how difficult it is for even high-profile programs to convert finalists into winners.
College passing metrics have trended upward in recent years: completion percentages, yards per attempt and passer rating have generally increased as offensive schematics, quarterback coaching and receiver talent evolved. That context helps explain why completion and efficiency numbers that would have been exceptional a decade ago are increasingly common among top candidates today. Still, voters often weigh team records—Mendoza’s undefeated 13-0 slate and No. 1 CFP seed is a decisive factor in his favor this year.
Main Event
Sayin’s 2025 stat line is striking for its accuracy: 279 completions on 356 attempts (78.4%), 3,323 yards, 31 TDs and six interceptions with a national-leading passer rating of 182.2. He carried Ohio State to a 12-1 record and engineered the program’s first win over Michigan since 2019, benchmarks that strengthened his finalist case. His rushing contributions were minimal (-2 yards, 0 TD), highlighting a mostly pocket-passing profile focused on ball placement and timing.
Among the other finalists, Fernando Mendoza posted 226 completions on 316 attempts (71.5%), 2,980 yards, 33 TDs, six interceptions, a 181.4 passer rating and 240 rushing yards with six rushing TDs, compiling a 13-0 mark. Mendoza’s combination of efficiency, scoring and an undefeated team record—and his Big Ten Championship victory over Sayin—has been central to his status as the frontrunner.
Diego Pavia combined efficient passing (71.2% on 242-of-340) with elite rushing production (826 yards, nine rushing TDs), finishing 10-2 for Vanderbilt with 3,192 passing yards, 27 TDs and eight interceptions. Pavia’s dual-threat profile and absence of high-profile receiving targets make his candidacy notable for transcending a lower-profile offense; however, Vanderbilt’s losses to top opponents limited his national standing.
Comparison & Data
| Player | Cmp% | Pass Yds | Yds/Att | TD | INT | Pass Rtg | Rush Yds | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julian Sayin (Ohio State) | 78.4 (279-356) | 3,323 | 9.33 | 31 | 6 | 182.2 | -2 | 12-1 |
| Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) | 71.5 (226-316) | 2,980 | 9.43 | 33 | 6 | 181.4 | 240 | 13-0 |
| Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt) | 71.2 (242-340) | 3,192 | 9.39 | 27 | 8 | 171.5 | 826 | 10-2 |
The table above isolates the three quarterback finalists’ pre-Heisman stats. Sayin leads in completion percentage and passer rating, Mendoza leads in team record and total touchdowns, and Pavia leads in rushing production. Those differing strengths explain why voters may prefer Mendoza’s undefeated resume even though Sayin has superior passing efficiency.
Analysis & Implications
Voter priorities matter: the Heisman electorate often rewards combination of elite individual metrics and team success. Mendoza’s undefeated season and conference title give him the practical edge even though Sayin’s per-attempt and completion efficiency are elite. Sayin’s statistical profile—extremely high completion rate with strong passer rating but lower rushing output and fewer total touchdowns than some recent winners—fits a modern efficiency-first archetype rather than the high-volume, multi-threat winner template.
For Ohio State, Sayin’s season signals a continuation of the program’s quarterback production pipeline. Comparing Sayin to past Buckeye finalists shows both improvement in accuracy and an evolution toward systems that emphasize higher completion percentages. That trend has implications for recruiting, play-calling and how evaluators project Ohio State quarterbacks to the NFL, where accuracy and decision-making are prized.
Looking ahead, postseason performance will shape legacy. If Sayin leads Ohio State to a College Football Playoff run and a national title, his Heisman candidacy would be reframed—team championships can retroactively elevate individual seasons in voters’ and historians’ eyes. Conversely, if Ohio State’s playoff results fall short, Sayin’s 2025 profile will likely be remembered primarily for historic efficiency rather than for championship hardware.
Reactions & Quotes
“Touched down in NYC.”
Ohio State Football (official Twitter)
“Me and my brother being quarterbacks, that was definitely a dream of ours…one day I’m going to be in New York for the Heisman ceremony. It’s definitely pretty surreal to be going out there.”
Julian Sayin (player interview)
Those two short public reactions—an arrival tweet from the program and Sayin’s own remark about a childhood dream—capture both the ceremonial and personal significance of being a finalist. Analysts and bettors have focused on Mendoza’s undefeated resume and head-to-head win as decisive; media discussion likewise emphasizes the contrast between Sayin’s unprecedented accuracy and Mendoza’s combination of volume and team success.
Unconfirmed
- Whether Sayin will break the official NCAA single-season completion percentage record remains pending final official calculations and record certification.
- Heisman voting outcomes and final placement for Sayin, Mendoza and Pavia are not confirmed until the award ceremony results are announced.
- Any projection about Sayin returning as a Heisman finalist in 2026 or his eventual NFL draft standing is speculative and depends on future performance and decisions.
Bottom Line
Julian Sayin’s 2025 season stands out for historic accuracy and a strong 12-1 record that includes a signature rivalry win for Ohio State. Statistically he is the most efficient passer among this year’s quarterback finalists, but Heisman voters traditionally weigh team success heavily—an area where Fernando Mendoza’s 13-0 campaign gives him a decisive advantage.
For Ohio State and for Sayin’s legacy, the postseason will be determinative: a national title would elevate this season into the conversation for the best Buckeye quarterback campaigns ever, while a short playoff run would likely leave the year remembered chiefly for unprecedented completion efficiency. Either way, Sayin’s freshman finalist appearance reinforces Ohio State’s recent run of elite quarterback play and shapes expectations for the program’s future.
Sources
- Eleven Warriors — sports news outlet (analysis and compiled statistics)
- Ohio State Football (official team Twitter) — official team communications