Julian Sayin Nearly Perfect

For the first time in history, Ohio State and Grambling State faced off on the gridiron. It was always supposed to be a one-sided affair, but what happened at Ohio Stadium was beyond compare. In just about every facet of the game, the Buckeyes overwhelmed and outmatched Grambling from the jump. Ohio State took the opening kick and never blinked.

The Buckeyes ended up covering the historic 55.5-point spread with 21:16 to go.

Julian Sayin Nearly Perfect as Ohio State Demolishes Grambling State

The Legendary Super Sayin

If we are going to play out the “Dragon Ball Z” references, Julian Sayin was base form Broly from the first movie against Texas. He was reserved, did what he had to do, and did not make waves. Then, against Grambling, the inhibitor came off, and he was “The Legendary Super Saiyan.”

“It was against Grambling,” caveat aside, Sayin could not miss. Technically, none of his passes hit the turf. Sayin started off the game by completing each of his first 16 passing attempts for 290 yards and four touchdowns. He hit his receivers in stride, just where they needed it, and let his playmakers do the rest. The biggest play of the game was a perfectly-placed ball to Jeremiah Smith, who took off for an 87-yard touchdown. That play was the longest passing play in Ohio State history.

Sayin’s first incompletion was thanks to an interception in the endzone. He wanted to find Carnell Tate on an out, but hesitated after seeing Smith across the middle, and the Grambling State defensive back jumped in front.

In total, Sayin dished it to seven different receivers, including four tight ends. Smith was his leading receiver with 199 yards and two touchdowns off five receptions. Tate was right behind with 69 yards and a score off five catches.

Yes, it was against Grambling State. Regardless, Sayin looked every bit the part of a star quarterback.

Nit-Picking

Offensively, there are no complaints. With the starters in the game, the only blemishes were that interception and a dropped toss that CJ Donaldson fell on. The back-ups came in and saw just as much success moving the ball.

Defensively, there will be a few words said by Matt Patricia. All in all, the starters pitched a shutout, and the reserves did not disappoint. The only things to frown at were there were two separate offsides penalties on Eddrick Houston that resulted in a Tigers first down on third-and-short. Against an overmatched opponent, it makes sense that the sophomore defensive tackle was itching to make an impact play. Either way, against Penn State or Michigan, those penalties could loom large.

The only other pseudo-issue was the fact that Grambling State was able to move the ball in chunks when it bounced outside. It was an issue against Texas that was not exploited, but the Buckeyes will need to continue to be more disciplined in containment.

All in all, it was a complete effort by the Buckeyes.

The Future is Now

When the backups hit the field, all eyes were on the 2025 recruiting class. Last year, only Smith and Houston made an impact, so with so much turnover, there was a feeling that this year’s freshman class had to step up. As a result, the freshman showed why they were rated as high as they were.

To start, Riley Pettijohn has been a name to watch for a while now. The linebacker looks like the real deal already. If Sonny Styles had declared for the NFL Draft, there was a real possibility Pettijohn could have won a starting job. Either way, on his second snap of the day (the first snap of the second half), Pettijohn was in a perfect position to recover a fumble forced by Kayden McDonald. Then, two drives later, Pettijohn hit the Grambling State running back in the hole and forced a fumble to be recovered by fellow freshman Epi Sitanilei.

TJ Alford and Zion Grady got in for the second half and each tallied a tackle for loss for the reserves.

Additionally, both available freshmen running backs made an impact. Lamar “Bo” Jackson scored on an impressive 11-yard touchdown while Isaiah West added a 12-yard score on the next drive. Jackson paced the way for the Buckeyes with 109 yards and a touchdown off just nine carries. West added 42 yards and a score off eight carries. They both looked explosive and gave the Buckeyes plenty of hope for the future at the position.

Next Up

Next week, the Buckeyes play host to the reigning MAC Champions, the Ohio Bobcats. Ohio State will likely be the heavy favorites in this one as well, but, as Rutgers and West Virginia can attest, the Bobcats are no slouch. The Buckeyes are officially 6-0 in seven games (the win in 2010 is still vacated). Ohio has given Ohio State a few tough fights over the years, but it should be expected that the Buckeyes roll again.