The 2026 Ohio State Buckeyes season carries significant weight after a one-and-done College Football Playoff exit following a national championship two years ago.

 At the center of Ohio State’s hopes sits quarterback Julian Sayin, who returns for his second season as a starter in Columbus. The good news for coach Ryan Day is that he has a returning starting quarterback, something he’s only had a couple of times during his Ohio State tenure with players like Justin Fields and C.J. Stroud.

Sayin was good in his first year as a starter. He was a Heisman finalist and looked the part for the most part all season, though he left some room to grow at the end of the year. If the Buckeyes are going to be a better team in 2026, much of it will rest on Sayin’s shoulders and whether he can take that next step.

Julian Sayin’s NIL deal is a steal compared to college football’s top quarterbacks

Ohio State is paying Sayin well on the NIL and revenue share front, but the number itself is striking. According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Sayin is making roughly $2.5 million, the same as Texas quarterback Arch Manning. That figure puts him nowhere near the top 10 highest-paid quarterbacks in college football. He’s closer to 20th, and that’s quite the bargain for Ohio State.

Sayin is making less than quarterbacks like Indiana’s Josh Hoover, Washington’s Demond Williams, Pitt’s Mason Heintschel, Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed, Michigan’s Bryce Underwood, Auburn’s Byrum Brown, and SMU’s Kevin Jennings. He’s making roughly the same as Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea. For a former Heisman finalist and second-year starter, that is a massive bargain.

Julian Sayin has room to grow but the foundation is already strong

Sayin is a 6-foot quarterback on the smaller side who still has to show he can use his legs more and be a tougher overall quarterback in 2026. Still, the foundation is already there. He completed 77 percent of his passes a year ago for 3,600 yards, 32 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions. Sayin was supremely accurate with the football last season.

All signs point to him having taken a step as a leader through the offseason. He added 10 pounds and should be more durable and willing to run the ball. If he can pair that physical growth with the accuracy he already showed, Ohio State will be in a good position.Paying roughly $2.5 million for a second-year starting quarterback and former Heisman finalist is a great deal for the Buckeyes. Sayin could have gotten more elsewhere, and Ohio State should be thrilled he didn’t.