How does Ohio State football's Julian Sayin compare to Will Howard through seven games?

Story by

Dan Aulbach, Columbus Dispatch

Tue, Oct 28, 2025 ·

2 min read

Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin has accrued early success in his first year as a starter, but how does he compare to the Buckeyes ' national championship-winning quarterback in the 2024 season?

Through seven games, Sayin's stats have given the redshirt freshman national media attention for his accuracy and poise. Against Wisconsin on Oct. 18, Sayin put up career numbers in a winning effort with 393 passing yards and four touchdowns. Through Week 9 of college football, he leads the FBS in completion percentage (80.0%) and is second in passer rating (189.7).

Though quarterback Will Howard lost his sixth game of the 2024 season to Oregon, he had similar stats to Sayin through his first seven games as the Buckeyes' quarterback. Howard transferred from Kansas State after the 2023 season and finished his only year with Ohio State with a national championship . The quarterback finished the season as the FBS leader in passing yards (4,010), passing touchdowns (35) and completion percentage (73%).

How do the two quarterbacks' stats stack up against each other? Read below to find out more.

How does Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin compare to Will Howard through their first seven games?

Sayin: 1,872 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns, 3 interceptions, 80% completion percentage, 189.7 passer rating | Rushing: 17 rushing yards, 0 rushing touchdowns

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) looks to pass against the Wisconsin Badgers in the first half at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin.

Howard: 1,795 passing yards, 17 passing touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 74% completion percentage, 183.9 passer rating | Rushing: 91 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdowns

By the numbers, Sayin has a lead in all passing statistics through seven games. While both quarterbacks have above-average accuracy through seven games, Sayin has a better completion percentage, 6% higher than Howard.

Though Sayin's passing statistics have a slight edge, Howard used his legs much more than Sayin through seven games; the Kansas State transfer had 91 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns, whereas Sayin has 17 rushing yards in 2025. Overall, Howard accounted for 22 passing and rushing touchdowns, whereas Sayin has yet to find the end zone on foot.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: How Ohio State QB Julian Sayin compares to Will Howard through 7 games