Julian Sayin understands the emotional weight of college football’s fiercest rivalry. Before taking a single snap against Michigan, he watched from the Ohio State sideline in 2024 as the program suffered a brutal home loss. One year later, as the starting quarterback, he experienced the other side. Sayin threw three touchdown passes in Ann Arbor to secure a victory, learning firsthand how fine the line is between heartbreak and triumph.

Speaking with On3’s Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman, Julian Sayin was asked about the experience of losing to Michigan and whether it was something he would ever want to experience himself.

“It’s definitely not a good feeling,” he said. “I was fortunate enough to be on that team and watch that leadership, and those players rally back, and end up winning the national championship that year. But it’s definitely not a feeling that you ever want to go through.”

That perspective shapes his approach as Ohio State prepares for the 2026 season. Sayin is rarely one for trash talk, preferring a steady, soft-spoken demeanor. Yet he quickly realized that in Columbus, this game is not treated like a regular Saturday matchup. It is an everyday reality that dictates the mood of an entire state.

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“You learn very quickly when you get here,” he said. “You learn the history of that game. You learn how important it is to this state and to this fan base. And it becomes your livelihood.”

It’s a pretty strong way of describing a college football rivalry. And Julian Sayin is speaking as someone who has already played in it. On Nov. 29, 2025, he walked into Ann Arbor and helped Ohio State take control after a shaky start. He threw an interception early, but the mistake didn’t spiral as he settled down.

The conditions weren’t QB-friendly, either. It’s a rivalry game played on the road in the snow with massive pressure. Still, Julian Sayin looked comfortable. He finished with 233 passing yards and three touchdown passes as Ohio State handled Michigan 27-9. 

“I think the team had kind of a great mindset going into it,” he previously said on The Triple Option. “We weren’t really feeling a ton of pressure. We know how much it means to the state of Ohio and our fanbase. But walking into that stadium, it was a ton of fun, and we had a bunch of juice. Off the bat, I threw the interception, then after that, I felt like we were just in control.”

That’s the Julian Sayin calm and composure people talk about. He has already gone 1-0 as a starter against Michigan. Now he gets another shot.

Julian Sayin reveals Ohio State’s goal for 2026

The Michigan game is already sitting on Ohio State’s 2026 calendar. This season, the Wolverines will come to Columbus. Julian Sayin knows what the game feels like now, and Ohio State isn’t pretending the rivalry doesn’t matter. The goals are pretty straightforward. 

“We definitely have goals,” he said. “We want to beat the team up north. We want to win the Big Ten championship. We want to win the national championship. So it’s always those goals at Ohio State.”

There is no complicated answer there. Beat Michigan. Win the Big Ten. Win the whole thing. Just as Ryan Day himself stated. Ohio State has plenty of other obstacles first, including Texas, Indiana, Oregon, USC, and Iowa. The Buckeyes also have a roster loaded with returning talent and major additions. But The Game is different.

Ryan Day, Julian Sayin, and everyone wearing scarlet and gray know it. The head coach has talked about making Michigan week feel more normal instead of turning the buildup into an emotional event. The idea is to prepare like every other week, then play the game like it means everything. It worked last season.

Now Ohio State gets the Wolverines at home, and Julian Sayin has no interest in learning what 1-1 feels like. And judging by his comments, he doesn’t need another reminder of just how badly that loss can sting.