The accolades continue to roll in for the Buckeyes’ signal-caller.
After initially being left off the 2025 Preseason Manning Award Watch List, Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin was among 22 new players added during Thursday’s midseason update.
Archie Manning, former NFL quarterback and father of Peyton, Eli and Cooper Manning, said he wanted to honor the early-season standouts while emphasizing that the award still considers performances throughout the entirety of the season.
“We wanted to be sure and recognize those outstanding quarterbacks who had great first halves of the season,” said Archie Manning. “At the same time, there is a lot of football left to be played and a long list of impact games, including the biggest ones of the year – the conference championships, the bowl games, and the College Football Playoff. Rest assured, every quarterback in the country remains in full consideration for the Manning Award.”
The Manning Award, which was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl to honor Archie, Peyton, and Eli Manning, is the only quarterback award that factors in bowl game performances. The finalists for the award will be announced Dec. 4, 2025 with the winner to be named following the College Football Playoffs.
Through seven games this season, Sayin has completed 156 of 195 passes for the nation’s best completion percentage (80.0). He’s also thrown for 1,872 yards and 19 touchdowns, while giving up just three interceptions. In Week 7 against Wisconsin Oct. 18, Sayin was 36 for 42 with a career-high 393 yards and four touchdown passes. His performance earned him the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Week award and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week and the Freshman of the Week honors.
Joining Sayin as additions on the watch list are fellow Big Ten quarterbacks : USC’s Jayden Maiava, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Oregon’s Dante Moore, and Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola. Quarterbacks Drew Allar of Penn State and Luke Altmyer of Illinois were already named to the preseason Manning Award Watch List.
