Ohio State QB Julian Sayin was nearly hurt against UCLA on a play that is illegal in the NFL
The NCAA may want to make this play against the rules after Julian Sayin was nearly hurt.
Quarterback Julian Sayin has been everything the Ohio State Buckeyes hoped he would be when they landed him in the transfer portal a couple of years ago. Following Will Howard’s move to the NFL, Sayin has been an excellent starting quarterback, and he is firmly in the Heisman Trophy race.
There hasn’t been much adversity for Sayin this season. The Buckeyes have run past their opponents for the most part on their way to a 10-0 record. A concern did pop up against the UCLA Bruins, a game Ohio State won 48–10. Sayin took a couple of hits, including one that perhaps shouldn’t be legal in the NCAA.
Julian Sayin was a victim of the hip-drop tackle against UCLA
The 2025 NFL season is the first in which the league has outlawed the “hip-drop tackle” due to the injuries it has caused. A hip-drop tackle occurs when a defender wraps up a ball carrier and drops their hips to the ground to bring the player down. It’s dangerous because defenders often land on the ball carrier’s legs or ankles during the motion. In the first half against UCLA, Sayin was brought down with that style of tackle and came up limping.
The tackle is still legal in college football, though it probably shouldn’t be if it’s banned at the highest level of the sport. Just a few plays after the hip-drop tackle, Sayin was hit after a pass and landed awkwardly on his ankle.
Ohio State’s starting quarterback was forced into the injury tent with a limp, creating a hold-your-breath moment. Sayin was already operating without Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith, aside from Smith playing the first quarter.
Sayin ended up being fine and finished 23-of-31 for 184 yards and a touchdown. It wasn’t the kind of big game the sophomore has consistently produced this season, but he was clearly a bit hobbled, and he didn’t have his top weapons. The win was the most important thing, and Ohio State secured it in a lopsided fashion. Still, the hip-drop tackle has no place in college football, and it could have easily derailed things for the Buckeyes on Saturday.
Ohio State Buckeyes News
Ryan Day delivers key update around Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate after Ohio State Buckeyes beat UCLA
Week 12 of the college football season had the Ohio State Buckeyes breezing past the UCLA Bruins to move to 10-0 on the season. Ohio State turned a 24-0 halftime lead into a 48-10 win, rotating through its depth for much of the second half and controlling the game throughout. The Buckeyes answered the call […]
