INDIANAPOLIS — Julian Sayin had been sacked only six times this season before the Big Ten championship, a number that was nearly doubled during his first loss as Ohio State’s starting quarterback.
The Buckeyes fell to Indiana 13-10 on Saturday, which broke their 16-game undefeated streak that started in last season’s College Football Playoff.
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Sayin, facing off with his Heisman competition Fernando Mendoza, completed 21 for 29 passes for 258 yards, but tacked on only one touchdown and was sacked five times.
“As a quarterback, ultimately you’re judged on how the offense does and scores points,” Sayin said. “So, I’ve got to do a little bit better down there in the red zone.”
The missed chances in the red zone first arose when Ohio State attempted a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-1 in the third quarter. Originally called a first down, an official replay determined Sayin’s knee was down before the ball crossed the 4-yard line.
Ohio State had another opportunity in the red zone down three points with 2:56 remaining in the game. On third-and-1, Sayin threw an incomplete pass to Bennett Christian in the end zone despite having running back Bo Jackson as a closer receiving option.
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“I had a rollout with the running back in the flat, and I thought that the defender was too close, so I moved on,” Sayin said. “The next read, I tried to fit it in down there, and they ended up batting it away.”
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) reacts during the Big Ten Conference championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 6, 2025. Ohio State lost 13-10.
Mendoza matched Sayin for number of touchdowns and finished behind the Ohio State quarterback in pass completions (15) and passing yards (222). But it was still Mendoza who likely solidified himself as the Heisman favorite at the end of the night.
How Indiana generated pressure against Ohio State in Big Ten championship game
Ohio State’s offensive line had just put together what coach Ryan Day considered a “tremendous effort” in a 27-9 victory over Michigan ahead of the championship game.
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It was a different story against Indiana, which ranked third in the nation in rushing defense going into the championship.
“They brought different pressures and twists,” Day said. “That was something that they had done all season. They’re very good at it. We didn’t handle it very well at all. There were times we did, but we weren’t consistent enough.”
According to offensive lineman Austin Sierveld, Indiana’s defensive line had more movement than Michigan’s, but he acknowledged that his own line had shortcomings that led to Sayin being sacked five times and the run game being limited.
Jackson had 86 rushing yards on 17 touches, with his longest run logging being just 20 yards. Against Michigan, Jackson finished with a career-high 117 yards.
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“We feel like we were one play, one block, one guy, one inch away from just breaking and establishing the run game,” Sierveld said. “As an offensive line, it just sucks because we knew we were there, we just ran out of time.”
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana defense sacks, pressures Julian Sayin, Ohio State in Big Ten championship
