Julian Sayin is on his way to a national Clchampionship in his first season as QB1. After a few early hiccups, the OSU star has asserted a command over his offense. Fans want nothing more than to see him cap it all off with a Heisman win. However, he has to deal with one major roadblock before he gets his hands on that trophy.

One of the hottest takes ahead of the season was Julian Sayin winning the Heisman. Now having emerged as one of the best QBs in the country, he’s very much on that path. However, Sayin still is no longer the favorite to win the title. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza has overtaken him as the current favorite, having constantly given him a tough fight. According to Kalshi’s latest estimates, Mendoza has 43% chance to win the Heisman, while Sayin is at 39%.

Both QBs have been extremely impressive in their own right, leading their teams through an unbeaten season. But unlike Sayin, who was already used to being in the higher leagues, Mendoza has had to work hard. The Cal transfer didn’t let the program miss the services of Kurtis Rourke.

Mendoza clearly has an edge over Sayin when it comes to measurables. Both QBs have commendable arm strength. However, accuracy is where Sayin takes the lead. He has a completion percentage of 80.1% now – one of the best in college football. He might even set a record here. Unlike Mendoza, Sayin is also an athlete, carrying the ability to put forward some attacks on the ground. But the way how candidates navigate big moments is what earns them more fans. Fernando Mendoza‘s brilliant show against Penn State gave him the juice to overtake Sayin.

With 1:51 left to play, Mendoza made a glorious comeback by adding 80 yards in 10 plays. He wrapped it all up with a game-changing TD pass to Omar Cooper Jr., bringing Indiana back to life from utter doom. The game could have ended the Hoosiers’ unbeaten streak. Mendoza stumbled a little against Wisconsin this week, getting sacked 5 times. But he also broke a program record for the most touchdowns in a single season, beating Rourke.

However, it takes a little more than just good numbers to become a fan favorite for the Heisman, According to some, it is Sayin’s fuss-free season that is putting him behind Mendoza.

Julian Sayin is behind in Heisman race for a surprising reason

Heisman winners are stars. They do things that have people talking about them for some time. Fernando Mendoza, aided with that PSU victory, was able to generate that impact. But Julian Sayin, on the other hand, somehow still remains an obscure figure in college football. ESPN’s Pamela Maldonado shared an interesting factor that’s likely keeping him away from the top.

“The gist is that Ohio State winning alone is not enough. Voters need to feel something, and right now, he has zero emotional imprint on the season. He’s efficient, clean, and technically superior, but where’s the drama?” she said recently. Julian Sayin was the better quarterback when pitted against Arch Manning in the opener. Fans and experts suspect that having the strongest WR unit in college football might has made his work relatively easy, compared to other programs.

But that does not really seem to be the case either. Sayin made a case for his lead against UCLA this Saturday as well. The OSU QB is on track to break the accuracy record in the FBS. Against the Bruins, Sayin rack up an impressive completion rate of 80.9%. That number came despite the absence of Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith – the reasons behind Sayin’s job being regarded as an easy one. But when compared to these two playmakers, who holds more star power is pretty clear.

Julian Sayin has the buzz around him, but it’s not enough to put him past others in the race. The fight for the trophy is now a close fight between him and Mendoza, who he will likely meet at the Big 10 Championship game. Then, perhaps, we’ll get an idea about who deserves this position more.