Julian Sayin is steering Ohio State toward a national championship run with one of the most loaded rosters in college football. The Buckeyes secured the No. 2 seed in the College Football Playoff despite stumbling against Indiana in the Big Ten title game.

That loss stung, but it did not derail their season. Ohio State still earned a first-round bye alongside Indiana, Texas Tech, and Georgia.

MORE: Florida quarterback DJ Lagway announces transfer portal decision

While the team enjoyed some extra rest before the postseason grind begins, Sayin grabbed attention off the field. He announced a new NIL partnership with Wingstop and Dr Pepper, posting the news himself.

“Postseason calls for big plays with @drpepper and @wingstop, had to get the play card out,” Sayin wrote.

The deal adds to an already impressive NIL portfolio. Sayin previously signed with The Foundation, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and JLab Audio. His current NIL valuation sits at $2.5 million, according to On3.

Sayin’s path to Columbus took a detour through Tuscaloosa first. After a brief stint with Alabama, he flipped his commitment to Ohio State and headed to the Big Ten. That decision paid off immediately.

In his first season as the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback, Sayin led the team to a 12-1 record and a Heisman Trophy finalist nod. The former five-star recruit has lived up to the hype.

His numbers back it up. Sayin has thrown for 3,323 yards and 31 touchdowns this season, showing both control and efficiency under center.

He is playing alongside elite talent like wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, Caleb Downs, and Arvell Reese. With that kind of firepower around him, Ohio State looks built for a deep playoff run.

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It has been less than half a decade since Ed Orgeron was last on a football sideline, but the sport has had a generational shakeup in the NIL era.

Coach O won a national championship at LSU with, in his words, “the best transfer ever” in Joe Burrow on a team he said is “up there” among the greatest college football teams ever. But the landscape has changed so much that even President Donald Trump signed a “Saving College Sports” executive order.

What remains of Trump’s executive order is a bit of a mystery, but Orgeron wants Trump to be “more involved.”

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Ed Orgeron wants President Trump “more involved” in NIL regulation after the president called college sports a “disaster.” (Rebecca Warren/Imagn Images, Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“I think he should be more involved. Something has to happen. Our sport is getting killed, man,” Orgeron said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.

“I love players getting paid. I think it’s fair. But I think there ought to be a cap, and the transfer portal, there’s got to be rules on it. It’s kind of like the Wild Wild West. I’m talking to coaches, it’s like, ‘Hey man, we’re working 24/7, 12 months a year. It’s crazy when guys are coming, when they’re going.’ But you know what? It’s got to be give and take. Players have got to get a lot, but the schools have got to get some guarantee in return…

“I think the president, he loves football, he’s a friend of mine, the more he can step in and stop what’s going on in college football, the better off it’s going to be.”

Trump recently ripped the supposed “disaster” that is NIL.

“I think that it’s a disaster for college sports. I think it’s a disaster for the Olympics, because, you know, we’re losing a lot of teams. The colleges are cutting a lot of their — they would call them sort of the ‘lesser’ sports, and they’re losing them like at numbers nobody can believe. They were really training grounds, beautiful training grounds, hard-working, wonderful young people. They were training grounds for the Olympics,” Trump said in the Oval Office last Thursday.

President Donald Trump gestures to the crowd before the start of the NFL Super Bowl LIX football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

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“And a lot of these sports that were training so well would win gold medals because of it. Those sports don’t exist, because they’re putting all their money into football. And by the way, they’re putting too much money into it, into football.”

Orgeron has teamed up with player agent Tzvi Grossman to tap into the new NIL era and has learned a great deal as he tries to find his next stop in college football. But despite all the money being passed around, Orgeron still believes that one aspect of recruiting trumps all.

LSU Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron during a game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the LSU Tigers, in Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Nov. 27, 2021. (John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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“You still have to recruit, you still have to evaluate, you still have to get the mamas, the champions, all that to have a championship football team, and then the (key) word develop,” Orgeron said. “Just because you’re paying the guys — I believe all our players should be paid, I’m with that — but the money that they get right now is not the money that Joe Burrow’s making. It’s not the money that Ja’Marr Chase is making, Derek Stingley’s making. So in other words, to develop at the school you’re going to go to is still important.”

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Julian Sayin is looking to lead the Ohio State Buckeyes to the national title alongside several other stars like wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.

Ohio State heads into the College Football Playoff with one of the best rosters in the country, starring Sayin and Smith along with Carnell Tate, Caleb Downs and Arvell Reese.

They’re heading into the playoffs as the No. 2 seed after losing to Indiana in the Big Ten title game. The Buckeyes will have a bye week to begin the CFP.

Other teams that will benefit from the bye week include Indiana, Texas Tech and Georgia.

During his time off, Sayin shared some exciting news off the field. The Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback has partnered with Wingstop and Dr Pepper in his latest NIL deal.

“Postseason calls for big plays with @drpepper and @wingstop, had to get the play card out,” Sayin posted.

Julian Sayin committed to Ohio State after spending some time with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

While he was planning his college football career at Alabama, he made the move to the Big Ten and finished his first season as the starting quarterback as a Heisman Trophy finalist.

Sayin was ranked as the No. 1 quarterback and the No. 6 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class, per 247Sports.

Before signing his latest NIL deal and sharing the news with fans online, Julian Sayin had inked deals with The Foundation, Dick’s Sporting Goods and JLab Audio.

About the author

Trending News Writer, Athlon Sports

Max Escarpio is one of Athlon Sports’ most prolific writers, having written over 5,000 posts across NBA, NFL, WNBA, college football, and college basketball. A 2023 Florida State University graduate with a BA in Sports Communication, he delivers fast-paced, wide-ranging coverage as part of the site’s breaking and trending news team.

When NIL first became the way of the land in college athletics, it was meant to be a way for athletes to get a slice of the money that already existed. Coaches, administrators, and other executives were making big money, so why couldn’t the athletes who were the ones actually playing the sport?

In that regard, nobody is going to fault players like DJ Lagway for making millions during his time with the Florida Gators.

But it is how that money had to be raised and what fans were gaslit into believing that also highlight the folly of how the NIL Era in college football has been going.

DJ Lagway set to hit the transfer portal

Lagway’s camp wanted to make it clear that his departure from Gainsville isn’t over money. Whether or not that is actually true, there is a good chance that in the pre-NIL Era, Lagway would still be a Gator heading into next season. If all Lagway cost was a scholarship spot, Jon Sumrall would probably be more apt to keep Lagway around. After a poor 2025 season, we can also understand why Florida’s new staff would be hesitant to invest real resources in Lagway that could go toward other parts of the roster.

But this tale isn’t just about the money that will be spent going forward; it is also about the money already spent and what happens when one doesn’t get a return on investment.

There are no official NIL numbers publicly available, but it is believed Lagway made between $3 and $4 million in 2025.

Some of that came from sponsorship deals like Jordan Brand, Gatorade, Epic Games, and others. But another chunk of money came from whatever deal he signed with Florida Victorious, the NIL arm of the Gators, and this is where the college system is broken compared to the professional system.

If Lagway were an NFL QB and flamed out, it would be annoying, but it wouldn’t be the fans left feeling empty-handed.  The money spent on NFL contracts is coming from the natural revenues the league collects, and fans aren’t asked to donate extra money that goes directly to contracts.

But in this first phase of the NIL Era, when teams couldn’t directly share revenue with players, it was the fans who were constantly bombarded with messages to give extra money to Florida to acquire and retain players. The underlying message was “Hey now, if you don’t give more money, some other fanbase will, and they will take DJ Lagway from Florida.”

Some fans might have signed up for the $10 a month plan. Others may have felt compelled to give more. Nobody, however, probably feels like their money was money well spent after this 2025 season.

And that really is the frustration for most fans, where they are gaslighted to believe things won’t get better without giving even more money, but aren’t given any kind of solace when that money gets covered in gasoline and burns up in flames.

So as Florida fans await the next QB to come to town on whatever NIL deal he will be on, Lagway’s journey is a reminder that there is no such thing as a sure investment in the world of college football.

Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway is officially set to enter the transfer portal following a tumultuous 4-8 season in Gainesville. The former five-star recruit announced his intentions on Monday, just days after the university parted ways with head coach Billy Napier. Lagway, who will likely be the top transfer portal player in the country, departs with two years of eligibility remaining and a desire to join a program that can better utilize his skill set.

The decision comes amid a significant transition for the Florida program. The Gators recently hired Tulane Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall to lead the team, along with Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner.

Despite the fresh leadership, Lagway informed the new staff of his departure before publicly announcing his move. His exit marks the end of a two-year stint where he threw for over 4,000 yards but struggled with consistency, recording 14 interceptions in his sophomore campaign.

Recruiting analysts have already begun identifying potential destinations for the talented signal-caller. On the Wiltfong Whiparound, On3 analyst Steve Wiltfong and host Josh Newberg discussed the Lagway sweepstakes.

While Lagway’s high school suitors, such as Texas A&M Aggies and USC Trojans, were once heavily involved, the landscape has shifted. The focus now turns to programs with a proven history of developing transfer quarterbacks into NFL prospects.

Steve Wiltfong Identifies LSU And Miami As Top Contenders

According to Wiltfong, the recruitment battle may center on two premier programs with offensive-minded head coaches: the LSU Tigers and Miami Hurricanes. These schools, along with the Baylor Bears, have emerged as the primary teams to watch.

“Our colleague Pete Nakos reported three schools to keep an eye on for DJ Lagway: LSU, Miami and Baylor,” Wiltfong said.

“Lagway’s father played his college football at Baylor. It’s a home-state school. But if you look at DJ Lagway’s high school recruitment, he bet on Florida, bet on himself to help turn the Gators around. I think this time around he makes a decision based on the situation that’s going to put him in the best position to blossom as a player.”

The connection to LSU is driven by head coach Lane Kiffin. Kiffin has a reputation for revitalizing quarterback careers, most notably with Jaxson Dart at the Ole Miss Rebels.

“You look at Lane Kiffin and what he was able to do at Ole Miss, developing a transfer in Jaxson Dart to a first-round draft pick out of USC,” Wiltfong said. “That is something that would be very exciting for DJ Lagway to look at.”

Miami offers a similar appeal under its current leadership. The Hurricanes have successfully integrated high-profile transfers like Cam Ward and Carson Beck, turning them into top-tier passers.

“In Miami, similar track record,” Wiltfong said. “You take a guy like Cam Ward, transferred multiple times, finished his career at Miami, plug-and-play, ultimately develops into the number one pick in the NFL Draft. Carson Beck, this year coming over from Georgia, tops the ACC in many categories, including quarterback rating. Both of those situations are advantageous to me if you’re any transfer quarterback.”

Lagway will officially be eligible to sign with a new program when the transfer portal window opens on Jan. 2.

Read more on College Football HQ

Before Kentucky tipped off against Indiana on Saturday night, Mitch Barnhart addressed the growing conversation surrounding NIL at UK Athletics, with much of the focus centered on basketball and the program’s lack of commitment in the 2026 recruiting class.

Barnhart emphasized that Kentucky’s NIL model is built around long-standing partnerships that help fund everything from travel to daily operational costs, noting that those relationships matter when opportunities are presented to student-athletes.

“We’ve got some incredibly strong Kentucky partners in our network,” Barnhart said. “We do ask that we look at that and say, hey, is there a space for them to be able to work with our partners first?”

At the same time, Barnhart pushed back on the idea that athletes are restricted. He made it clear that while UK encourages players to work with in-house partners, they are free to pursue outside opportunities if those relationships don’t fit.

“There is no one-size-fits-all,” Barnhart said. “If that doesn’t work and they want to go do some other things, they absolutely have the opportunity to do that.”

Barnhart also addressed criticism tied to JMI and Kentucky’s NIL structure, saying it provides no incentive to limit competitiveness.

“Why in the world would we do anything other than give ourselves the best chance to win?” he said, adding that many programs nationwide operate in similar ways.

Late in the interview, Barnhart acknowledged the outside noise surrounding UK basketball and admitted results matter.

“We’ve got some teams doing that incredibly well,” he said. “We’ve got a couple that are struggling, and we’ve got to get them going.”

Let’s hope they can get things going and see an uptick in basketball recruiting.