Ohio State has named sophomore Julian Sayin its starting quarterback ahead of the Buckeyes’ season opener against Texas on Aug. 30, coach Ryan Day announced Monday. Sayin, a former five-star prospect and the No. 3 quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class, beat out redshirt sophomore Lincoln Kienholz and true freshman Tavien St. Clair for the job.
All three were blue-chip recruits, but Sayin’s consistency, command of the offense and strong performance in fall helped him emerge from arguably one of the most competitive quarterback battles in the country ahead of the 2025 season.
Sayin transferred to Ohio State in January 2024, leaving Alabama less than two weeks after enrolling in the wake of Nick Saban’s retirement. He spent last season behind veteran transfer Will Howard, who led the Buckeyes to a national championship. Though Sayin saw limited action, appearing in four games, he was widely viewed as the starter-in-waiting — even as Ohio State kept the competition open through the spring and into fall camp.
With Sayin now at the helm, Ohio State aims to defend its national title with another loaded roster and a marquee matchup to begin the year. Texas visits Columbus for the season opener in a rematch of last season’s College Football Playoff semifinal.
Ohio State’s quarterback battle
From the moment the Buckeyes hoisted their first national championship trophy in a decade last January, the question was clear: Who would be Ohio State’s next starting quarterback? With three former blue-chip recruits competing for the job, there was no need to revisit the transfer portal. Still, the fact that none of the quarterbacks on the 2025 roster had yet started a college game amplified the stakes of the competition.
Day made it clear early in…
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Author : Cody Nagel
Publish date : 2025-08-18 15:47:00
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