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The Ohio State Buckeyes on Monday named Julian Sayin the starting quarterback for its first game of the 2025 season against the Texas Longhorns.
The defending national champions begin their title defense against Texas on Aug. 30 – a game that can be seen on FOX. Texas will have Arch Manning as its starter for the game.
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Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) throws a pass during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Western Michigan Broncos at Ohio Stadium. (Adam Cairns / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said Sayin was more consistent in the competition with Lincoln Kienholz and that there had been some separation between the two players in the last week.
“It was a close competition. I think both guys we all feel confident can win a game for us. I feel like our guys are confident with both quarterbacks, I feel like we are going to need both quarterbacks,” Day told reporters. “Lincoln did a lot of great things, but we’re going to name Julian the starter, give him the majority of the reps with the ones and go prepare to beat Texas.”
Sayin is listed as a sophomore but has four years of eligibility left.
He transferred to Ohio State from Alabama in January 2024.
Ohio State quarterbacks Julian Sayin (10) and Lincoln Kienholz (3) warm up prior to the 2024 season opener against the Akron Zips. (Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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“I think earning trust is just all about consistency, who are you day in and day out, and are you making the routine plays routinely. Are you someone who the offense can count on and who your teammates can count on consistently?” Sayin said back on Aug. 5.
He was a five-star prospect who was the top quarterback in his recruitment class. He was a star player at Carlsbad High School in California.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian had nice things to say about Sayin as well.
“We recruited him hard here. He was a very gifted passer, really good player. Came to camp with us, I think, two years in a row. So we got a lot of familiarity with him,” Sarkisian said. “Very good player, elite passer, very good arm talent, very quick release, really accurate guy. Obviously, he’s got great weapons around him, so he’s the type of guy that can utilize those weapons in a good system. So, it poses a heck of a challenge.”
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) takes a snap during football training camp at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on Aug. 1, 2025. (Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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Ohio State also brings back wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate to the offense. Sayin will have plenty of weapons to succeed immediately.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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