Ryan Day gives promising first impression of Julian Sayin as the Ohio State Buckeyes’ starting quarterback days after beating Texas

While there was plenty of hype around the quarterbacks heading into the Week 1 matchup between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Texas Longhorns, it was Arch Manning who drew most of the attention. In the end, though, it was Buckeyes sophomore Julian Sayin who outperformed him and secured the win.

Sayin won the starting job during fall camp, and it always felt like it was trending that way. The former five-star Alabama signee appeared in just four games last season, but he was widely expected to be the guy in 2025. After one game, it looks like Ryan Day made the right call in choosing him over junior Lincoln Kienholz.

Ryan Day delivers bold statement on Julian Sayin’s starting debut vs. Texas

“He graded out over 80 percent,” Day said Tuesday following the win over Texas. “His adjusted completion percentage with a few drops was pretty good. We felt like he took care of the ball, made some good throws. I’d like to think that if we had made a few plays for him earlier in the game, maybe it would have gone a different direction. But I don’t think he ever flinched. Good start. A lot of football to go, though.”

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Sayin had some tough luck with drops from his playmakers early on. He hit tight end Max Klare in the hands on a fourth down early in the game, but the ball was dropped. Star wideout Jeremiah Smith, who had just one drop all of last season, let two passes slip through against Texas. Those small miscues prevented Ohio State’s offense from adding more points early. Still, Sayin managed the game well in what was a huge first test.

Against the Longhorns, Sayin finished 13-of-20 passing for 126 yards and a touchdown. The 6-foot-1 quarterback didn’t turn the ball over and avoided being sacked. Ohio State’s revamped offensive line held up against a Texas front led by Colin Simmons, while Sayin’s quick release helped him on several occasions.