Latest news with #JulianSayin
New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Julian Sayin, CJ Carr, DJ Lagway: Where the 2024 blue-chip quarterback recruits stand
Year 2 has become a well-established inflection point for most college quarterbacks. By the end of their second season on campus, they have typically completed two spring practices, two training camps and two actual seasons. By that point, coaches have an idea of what they have. And players know if they're on track to start — or at least compete for the starting role. Advertisement That's when business decisions are made. On both sides. The blue-chip quarterbacks from the 2024 recruiting cycle are set to start their second training camp. Some are in position to start, some have already been recruited over and some have already switched schools. Here's a snapshot of where they stand entering Year 2. Note: All rankings are from the 247Sports Composite. Recruiting ranking: No. 1 QB, No. 6 overall Where he stands: The Buckeyes have not named a starting quarterback, but Sayin — who signed with Alabama but transferred to Ohio State after Nick Saban retired — is the favorite to claim the role. His main competition is junior Lincoln Kienholz, though true freshman Tavien St. Clair is waiting in the wings. Recruiting ranking: No. 2 QB, No. 7 overall Where he stands: Lagway is the face of the program at Florida and is one of the most exciting young quarterbacks in the sport. This will be his first full season as the starter. Recruiting ranking: No. 3 QB, No. 21 overall Where he stands: Raiola had an up-and-down freshman season but is the unquestioned starter as he enters his sophomore season. There are valid reasons to believe he'll take positive steps forward this fall, especially since he will be working with offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen for a full season. Recruiting ranking: No. 4 QB, No. 56 overall Where he stands: Noland is already at his second stop after leaving Ohio State in December. He'll definitely sit behind starter LaNorris Sellers, but the question is whether he can beat out Luke Doty and Cutter Woods for the backup role. Recruiting ranking: No. 5 QB, No. 59 overall Where he stands: Kromenhoek played a bit at Florida State last season but transferred once the Seminoles hired Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator and added Boston College QB Thomas Castellanos through the transfer portal. Blake Shapen is returning as Mississippi State's starter, so Kromenhoek will have to wait patiently for at least another year. Recruiting ranking: No. 6 QB, No. 68 overall Where he stands: Carr is in the middle of a competition with Kenny Minchey but is viewed as the favorite to start. Notre Dame has sky-high expectations after playing for the national championship last season. Recruiting ranking: No. 7 QB, No. 105 overall Advertisement Where he stands: Grunkemeyer was elevated to the backup role when Beau Pribula hit the transfer portal last December. Theoretically, he should be in line to serve in that capacity again this season, but he has to hold off third-year sophomore Jaxon Smolik in camp. Recruiting ranking: No. 8 QB, No. 107 overall Where he stands: The Bears have an established starter in Sawyer Robertson, one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 12. White transferred from Auburn after one season and will have to compete with Nate Bennett, the only other quarterback on the roster who threw a pass last season, for the backup role. Recruiting ranking: No. 9 QB, No. 112 overall Where he stands: With the arrival of five-star freshman Bryce Underwood, the favorite to start, and Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene this offseason, Davis has become something of an afterthought. The Wolverines also signed ECU transfer Jake Garcia for an added veteran presence this spring as well, so it's a very crowded path for Davis. Recruiting ranking: No. 10 QB, No. 114 overall Where he stands: Puglisi is competing for the starting role, but Gunner Stockton, who started the Sugar Bowl, is widely viewed as the leader. Recruiting ranking: No. 11 QB, No. 160 overall Where he stands: Nico Iamaleava's departure this spring left this job wide open. Merklinger will compete with UCLA/Appalachian State transfer Joey Aguilar and true freshman George MacIntyre for the role. Recruiting ranking: No. 12 QB, No. 205 overall Where he stands: Williams signed with Arizona and followed coach Jedd Fisch to Washington. He started the final two games of the 2024 season and showed some really encouraging signs. He's a potential star in the making for the Huskies. Advertisement Recruiting ranking: No. 13 QB, No. 226 overall Where he stands: Hammond earned some valuable experience while serving as the backup during the regular season and then started the Liberty Bowl loss to Arkansas. With Behren Morton returning, Hammond will remain the backup. Recruiting ranking: No. 14 QB, No. 234 overall Where he stands: According to the Indy Star, Cherry suffered a knee injury during prep for the College Football Playoff opener at Notre Dame and will serve as a student assistant during the 2025 season while he recovers. Recruiting ranking: No. 15 QB, No. 239 overall Where he stands: Van Buren gained valuable experience at Mississippi State last season but transferred to LSU in the offseason, giving him a chance to learn behind Garrett Nussmeier before the job opens in 2026. Recruiting ranking: No. 16 QB, No. 247 overall Where he stands: Brown is the only quarterback on the roster who threw a pass for the Cardinal last season, but Stanford has added transfers Dylan Rizk (UCF) and Ben Gulbranson (Oregon State). Both are experienced and could push for the job. Recruiting ranking: No. 17 QB, No. 279 overall Where he stands: Davis signed with Washington but transferred to UCLA when Kalen DeBoer took the Alabama job. He transferred again in late May after the Bruins added Nico Iamaleava. He's now at Hawaii, where he will compete with Micah Alejado. Recruiting ranking: No. 18 QB, No. 280 overall Where he stands: Wilson started seven games after Cam Rising's season-ending injury last season, but both he and the offense struggled. Utah went to New Mexico to bring in offensive coordinator Jason Beck and quarterback Devon Dampier. Wilson decided to stay at Utah but will sit behind Dampier this fall. Advertisement Recruiting ranking: No. 19 QB, No. 295 overall Where he stands: Hejny spent one season at TCU before transferring to Oklahoma State, where he is in the mix for the starting role. Former Horned Frogs assistant coach Doug Meacham is now the Cowboys offensive coordinator, and that familiarity might give Hejny a leg up. Recruiting ranking: No. 20 QB, No. 297 overall Where he stands: Hawkins started four games last season but was raw and thrown into the fire a bit too early. Oklahoma brought in Washington State transfer John Mateer, so Hawkins will serve primarily as the backup once again this season. 21. Trey Owens, Texas (No. 299) 22. Miles O'Neill, Texas A&M (No. 308) 23. AJ Maddox, Ole Miss (No. 337) 24. Cutter Boley, Kentucky (No. 344) 25. Colin Hurley, LSU (No. 357) 26. Trever Jackson, Arkansas (No. 391) 27. Marcos Davila, Nebraska (No. 400) 28. AJ Surace, Rutgers (No. 419) 29. CJ Bailey, NC State (No. 432) 30. KJ Jackson, Arkansas (No. 457) 31. Mabrey Mettauer, Sam Houston (No. 462) 32. Samaj Jones, Cincinnati (No. 472) Texas, Texas A&M and Ole Miss each added veteran quarterbacks this offseason, so Owens, O'Neill and Maddox have work to do if they want to claim the backup job for their respective programs. Zach Calzada is in line to start at Kentucky. Boley played some valuable snaps last fall but will get this season to develop. Hurley was injured in a car accident in January but has rejoined the team at LSU. He'll be behind Nussmeier and, presumably, Van Buren. Trever Jackson (Florida State) and Davila (Purdue) have already transferred from the schools they initially signed with and are now sitting behind established starters at Arkansas and Nebraska, respectively. Surace remained at Rutgers but will have to wait patiently behind starter Athan Kaliakmanis. Advertisement Bailey was one of the most promising true freshman quarterbacks in the country last season and will be a significant piece of NC State's future. KJ Jackson is poised to be Arkansas' backup, even with the arrival of Trever Jackson. Mettauer signed with Wisconsin but transferred to Sam Houston after the 2024 season with former Badgers offensive coordinator Phil Longo, who is now the Bearkats head coach. Jones will compete with Brady Lichtenberg for the backup role behind Brendan Sorsby at Cincinnati. (Top photo of CJ Carr: Michael Caterina / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
What to Know About the Ohio State Buckeyes for 2025
The Ohio State Buckeyes finally made it over the hump in the Ryan Day era. It was much more bumpy of a ride than they expected, but they got it done after the expanded 12-team CFP gave them new life. Heading into 2025, there are several new faces on both sides of the ball, but ever loftier expectations after a seemingly bizarre regular season but a stellar postseason. Questions still remain for the team and Ryan Day: can he finally beat Michigan on his fifth try? Can Julian Sayin pick up where Will Howard left off as a full-time starter? Will new defensive stars emerge? All those questions were rendered moot with that championship victory, but may rear their ugly head again should they go unanswered this fall. Here is a look in on how the Buckeyes are shaping up for a pivotal 2025 season. 2024 in Review As expected, the Buckeyes were a juggernaut in both non-conference and Big Ten play. However, their road to the College Football Playoff wasn't all sunshine and lollipops. Two seemingly inexplicable losses, one to Oregon where Will Howard completely lost control of the clock, and the most bizarre of all, to that Team Up North in one of their worst seasons in recent memory. In fact, it was so embarrassing not just because of who it was, but because of who they were missing. Both Will Johnson and Mason Graham were limited in this game, and yet they could only muster 10 measly points, while Michigan's putrid offense did just enough to squeeze by. Nevertheless, a 10-2 Ohio State was certainly good enough for a CFP bid, and given a second life, they seized their opportunity. With wins over Tennessee, a resounding revenge game against Oregon, and a tense affair against Texas, Ohio State emerged from the weirdness of the regular season as champions, vanquishing a pesky Notre Dame squad and thus perhaps completing the hardest path of any team in the first-ever 12-team CFP. 2025 will look mightily different, however. There is still no margin for error, as they have only completed one of their goals: winning a title. Losing to Michigan for a fifth time in the Ryan Day era will be inexcusable, though, and could see this team have a whole new look to it come 2026. Head Coach Profile It's safe to say that Ryan Day has a more positive light shining on him after a championship victory. The question must be asked even so: how much of that came from the redemption a 12-team CFP gave him and his squad? After all, while a 70-10 overall record as the Buckeyes' adds some gloss to his resume as the best among active head coaches, four of those losses now are to That Team Up North. Imagine the uproar in Columbus if a fifth defeat occurs. Therefore, Day's continued ascension among active head coaches will not necessarily be easy. It's not his fault that one game as Ohio State's head coach takes precedence over other head coaches and their rivalries. It just means more for the Buckeyes when this consistent losing starts to become inexplicable and inexcusable. Day's got the chip under his belt. A win over Michigan would do him a world of good. A loss and despite his championship pedigree, we could see a new face helming the Buckeyes in 2025. It's that serious for Ryan Day. Top Offensive Player I'm sure you don't need me to tell you who this player is. The resume in just one season in Columbus should tell you all enough. As soon as he stepped foot in the Shoe, Jeremiah Smith became yet another electrifying receiver in the annals of Ohio State history. Forget about the records. The way he achieved them was bedazzling and spectacular. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that Cris Carter's freshman records aren't the only ones he will be breaking in his Ohio State career. And with two years of eligibility left, those records could certainly fall sooner rather than later. The only concern anyone could have for Smith is if his rapport with Julian Sayin is wholly different than the one he established with the experience of Will Howard. Sayin is undeniably talented, but he could have a contrasting agenda entirely from what Will Howard bought to the table. In a season where Ohio State can start to rely on more weapons, look for Sayin to incorporate as many components of the offense as possible. While it certainly doesn't seem as if that would be to Smith's detriment, it is the only way I can see his meteoric rise as the best receiver in teh country being slowed. Top Defensive Player Ohio State fans must be super happy that Caleb Downs transferred in. He has been an absolute revelation on the back end for the Buckeyes and much like Smith, he is not going anywhere. The unanimous All-American can do it all, most famously returning a punt 79 yards last year in a victory over then No. 15 Indiana. It's his big plays on the biggest stages that separate Downs from his teammates. A season-high in tackles against the Ducks in the regular season and against Notre Dame in the championship game. A pivotal interception against Texas in the semifinal. No other player on the Buckeyes defense meant more than it mattered than Downs. Now the question is can he be a leader for the new faces in this defense. New starters will abound galore and it will be a player like Downs who has to make sure they adjust not only well, but to championship standards. Anything less, and this group can underwhelm. From the jump, Downs must be locked in not just for himself but for the sake of the squad. His play must elevate those around him and he certainly has the traits to do it. 2025 Schedule Preview The schedulers weren't kind in the slightest when they were looking at Ohio State. If the Buckeyes go undefeated this season, it will almost certainly be earned through grit and perseverance. The first team to roll into Columbus will be a red hot Longhorns squad that will be wanting sweet revenge after the events of last year and will be riding the hype of Arch Manning. Ryan Day will have to have this green players ready for battle immediately or else Ohio State could stumble right out of the gate. Aug. 30 – vs. Texas Sept. 6 – vs. Grambling State Sept. 13 – vs. Ohio Sept. 27 – @ Washington Oct. 4 – vs. Minnesota Oct. 11 – @ Illinois Oct. 18 – @ Wisconsin Nov. 1 – vs. Penn State Nov. 8 – @ Purdue Nov. 15 – vs. UCLA Nov. 22 – vs. Rutgers Nov. 29 – @ Michigan Nonetheless, that non-conference showdown is nothing compared to the Big Ten gauntlet they face. Illinois is no slouch in Week 6 and has the experience to stun the Buckeyes at home. The game that everyone could be circling however, is their Week 8 matchup at home against Penn State. James Franklin, Drew Allar and Co, will be looking for their marquee win to prove that they are the undisputed kings of the Big Ten. The Buckeyes will be looking to prove otherwise, but they may not have the benefit of experience and depth on their side this time around. Home field advantage may be all that the Buckeyes can lean on in this encounter. And of course, leave it to the schedule to have The Game at the end of the season loom over their heads all year long. Overall, while it will be tough, should the Buckeyes emerge undefeated somehow, they would certainly make the case for best overall resume. However, nothing is given to you in this sport, and new faces in the squad have to willing to take it. Anything short of the three goals laid forth for any Buckeyes team: a win over Michigan, a Big Ten title, and a championship: and the thoughts of 2024 will soon fade as quickly as Ryan Day's job will. The Buckeyes and their fans want it no other way. This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: What to Know About the Ohio State Buckeyes for 2025
New York Times
22-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How many Ohio State transfers will start? Biggest camp storylines? Buckeyes mailbag
Last week's Ohio State mailbag addressed several of your questions about Julian Sayin, the quarterback battle and expectations for the Buckeyes in 2025. In Part II, let's dig into your questions about roster construction and the rapidly approaching start of preseason camp. How many of the incoming transfers do you expect to start? — Randy O Two. Advertisement Max Klare (Purdue) has a chance to be an All-American at tight end and left tackle Ethan Onianwa (Rice) has that spot solidified, in my mind. Klare led the Boilermakers with 51 catches for 685 yards last season, and Onianwa made 34 career starts for the Owls. The only other three I see competing for starting jobs are offensive lineman Phillip Daniels (Minnesota) and defensive ends Beau Atkinson (North Carolina) and Logan George (Idaho State). Daniels could be the starting right tackle, but I'm on the Austin Siereveld bandwagon right now. On the defensive line, I think Caden Curry starts opposite Kenyatta Jackson at end while Atkinson, who didn't get a spring with the Buckeyes, gets adjusted to Ohio State. I'd say Atkinson could be the starter by the Illini game (Oct. 11), but he'd have to put together a stellar preseason camp to start against Texas in Week 1. Though he led North Carolina in sacks last year, he did so in a rotational role with only one start. I've seen reports that OSU is spending upward of $35 million on this year's team. That's a major increase from the $20 million purportedly spent last season. And yet, a few others are still spending more than us. What's the ceiling on what OSU can afford on a roster? Relatedly, we still seem to be missing on a good number of elite national recruits, particularly in the trenches. What can be done to improve our O/D-line recruiting efforts? — Mike G. I don't know for sure what the real number is, but $35 million sounds high to me when thinking about the makeup of this year's roster. Ohio State has a redshirt freshman favored to start at quarterback, a new starting running back and no superstar defensive lineman or cornerback to pay. Ohio State did well in the transfer portal, but it also didn't go on a massive spending spree like Texas Tech or some other programs. Advertisement I think the main thing to take away from that Wall Street Journal story is that Ohio State is built to compete at the top of the numbers when it wants. Ohio State has made it known it isn't going to get into massive bidding wars for high school recruits who haven't proven much yet. That doesn't mean high school recruits aren't getting paid, but money isn't the only thing Ohio State is pitching. If Ohio State finds a player it wants and thinks the money is worth it, it will spend it. Between revenue sharing and the new Buckeye Sports Group, which is built to bring in legal NIL deals to players, there's plenty of money to go around. As for the second part, recruiting is more difficult than it's ever been. Ohio State wasn't going to match some of these other numbers thrown around for defensive and offensive linemen. So when your first, second and third options fall through, you have to try to jump in on a recruit late. Making up ground is hard if you aren't throwing bags of money around. I actually think Tyler Bowen has done a great job in his first year with offensive line recruiting. Offensive tackle Sam Greer continues to rise in the rankings — he's the No. 55 player in the 247Sports Composite, up from No. 200 in February — and he makes for a stellar duo with four-star Maxwell Riley (No. 128). As for the defensive line, the Buckeyes need another edge rusher, but Khary Wilder has been flying up rankings. He was No. 242 in June and is now No. 119. There's a lot of quality in this class, even if I can understand the disappointment of losing some of these recruiting battles. Ex-players like Brian Hartline and James Laurinaitis have done a great job as positional coaches, especially with recruiting. Are there other former players who could be the next hires for the Buckeyes? A D-line coach to help Larry Johnson? — Kevin W. LeCharles Bentley was a name I wondered if Ohio State would bring in for the offensive line opening this year. He does a good job training offensive linemen already and has been around the program a lot, so he's helping already. As for the defensive line, I'm not sure there's a name right away. Whenever Johnson retires, that job is going to be coveted by every coach in the country, so there will be plenty of good options. Advertisement How should we as fans react to concerns about recruiting rankings in the era of the transfer portal? The overall 2026 class is really good, but we've obviously heard of certain position groups missing on targets lately. I don't know if I should be as worried as I would be in previous years. — Kevin D. Ohio State has been vocal about its commitment to recruiting high school students, so that will make recruiting rankings important. When you commit to high school recruiting, you have to bring in a high percentage of blue-chip recruits and sign top-five classes pretty consistently. Ohio State has had a top-five class every year since 2020, so I don't think there's any reason to be worried overall, even if the 2026 class is merely No. 7 in the 247Sports Composite right now. When a program has success like that, the next goal is to fill holes each year through the transfer portal, which is what Ohio State has done. That means that the numbers have to be there at each position, not just quality. I think Wilder can come in and make a swift impact in Columbus. Same with true freshman Zion Grady this year. He might not play a lot this season, but he's going to be an impact player in the future. The concern is that there aren't enough edge rushers on the team. Ohio State has grabbed five edge rushers in the past two years and one of the elite ones, Eddrick Houston, moved inside to defensive tackle. So two each year and none of them being truly elite as recruits isn't enough. Still, I'm not on the train of freaking out quite yet. Johnson is still an elite developer of talent, but he's going to have to hit on some recruits in the next calendar year, whether in the portal or out of high school. It'll be a big red flag if by this time next year Ohio State doesn't have evidence of a next generation of pass rushers emerging. How does the Longhorns' defensive line match up against Ohio State's offensive line and an unproven quarterback with a new offensive coordinator? — Will Texas defensive end Colin Simmons could wreck the game if Ohio State doesn't have an adequate way of accounting for him. He's one of the best edge players in the country after putting up 14 tackles for loss and nine sacks as a freshman. Ohio State did a good job of limiting him in the Cotton Bowl last year, but he'll pose a different type of test next month. It's not just a test for Sayin; it'll be on Day, Hartline and Bowen to find a game plan to help Sayin feel comfortable. With that said, I like Ohio State's offensive line despite the turnover up front. To me, it's the best group the Buckeyes have had entering the season since 2022. I think Onianwa is going to have a great year, the interior is strong with Luke Montgomery, Carson Hinzman and Tegra Tshabola and Austin Siereveld is a good tackle but also a versatile piece. Advertisement I expect Ohio State to try and get the ball out quickly to its perimeter playmakers. The question for me is more so how Sayin will do reading Texas' various zone coverage shells. The Longhorns will try to bracket Jeremiah Smith and make Sayin read the defense to find other receivers. If he can do that and be on time, Ohio State could be in a good position. What are the biggest storylines to watch in camp as we ramp up the next 1 1/2 months to the season? — Quintin M Obviously the quarterback battle is going to make the most headlines as Sayin tries to separate from Lincoln Kienholz, but there will be some other fun position battles to watch too. Will Siereveld continue his stellar offseason and lock down a starting spot at right tackle? Or will one of the younger players push him to the swing role as the sixth offensive lineman? I'm intrigued by Brandon Inniss finally stepping into his role in the slot after waiting his turn for two years. I'm not sure we'll get an answer about this until the season begins, but I'm curious how often Ohio State switches between 11 personnel and 13 personnel at times with how deep the wide receiver and tight end groups are. On defense, what is the end rotation going to look like? After some questions entering the offseason, the grouping of Jackson, Curry, Atkinson, George and C.J. Hicks sounds good on paper, but who will step up when called upon? What happens at defensive tackle, too, with Ty Hamilton and Tyleik Williams gone? And which corner is going to separate himself from the pack? Davison Igbinosun and Jermaine Mathews Jr. will be the two starters against Texas, but after that, will Ohio State play a safety at nickel or will one of Aaron Scott, Lorenzo Styles and Devin Sanchez step up and take the third corner spot? There's a lot of talent on the roster, but with 14 draft picks gone to the NFL, there's also a lot of intrigue to watch through August. (Top photo of Max Klare: Kyle Robertson / Columbus Dispatch / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
New York Times
18-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Ohio State mailbag: What would be a successful year? How good does Julian Sayin need to be?
It seems like Ohio State just walked off the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with the national championship trophy yesterday, yet here we are just two weeks away from the start of preseason camp. You have a lot of questions about the reloading Buckeyes, so let's get to Part I of a two-part Buckeyes mailbag. Check back next week for more. Advertisement The 'experts' at The Athletic have placed Julian Sayin in the fourth tier of quarterbacks for the upcoming season. He would have to play higher than that for the Buckeyes to have another great year. Your thoughts? — Crahans I give Sam Khan and Antonio Morales a ton of credit for putting together a complete ranking of the projected starters around the country. I know that took a ton of work, so props to them. Sayin is ranked No. 32, in the fourth tier, which includes a variety of young, unproven starters. He hasn't played a snap yet, so it's hard to say exactly what he'd need to do to reach the 'great' level you ask about. I think we have to be careful comparing what Sayin needs to do this year versus what other quarterbacks have had to do historically for Ohio State. Will Howard won a national championship while throwing for 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns in a program-record 16 games. He finished 23rd in the FBS in passing yards per game and third in pass efficiency, but he's not on the Mount Rushmore of Ryan Day quarterbacks in terms of talent. He did do a terrific job of doing everything Day asked of him. So does Sayin need to be a top-10 quarterback for Ohio State to have a great year? I don't think so. If he becomes that, then there's little doubt Ohio State will be a contender, but I think the Buckeyes can achieve that even without Sayin reaching that mark in his first season starting. Day and new play caller Brian Hartline aren't going to tell Sayin to throw the ball 35 times a game and live and die by his arm talent; they'll scheme things that work for him and the talent around him. He doesn't have to be an out-of-this-world quarterback to get the ball in the hands of Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss and Max Klare, either. What he does have to do is take care of the ball. Advertisement Only one Day-coached quarterback has thrown double-digit interceptions in a year — that was Howard, who threw 10 in an expanded season — so that trend will need to continue. If Sayin can limit turnovers, Ohio State will be in a good position. Let's just keep expectations for a redshirt freshman in check, even if he was a five-star recruit. What do you consider a successful season this year? Beating the team up north? Making the natty? Big Ten championship? A combination? — Matt T. Speaking of expectations, I think it's a combination. The standard at Ohio State is always 10 wins in the regular season, at minimum. But I'd say the No. 1 priority right now is beating Michigan after four losses in a row in the rivalry. From there, I think whether Ohio State wins the Big Ten title or not doesn't matter a ton as long as it makes at least a Playoff quarterfinal appearance again. That's the baseline for a successful season, to me, with so much turnover on the roster. Then you take that experience and make a run for another national title in 2026. How fast before OSU overtakes Penn State in the rankings? I've never seen a team so overhyped. Drew Allar folds under pressure in every big game. Would you rather your team had Allar this year or Sayin? This year only. — G.R. It's not a given that Penn State will be ranked ahead of Ohio State in the preseason AP and coaches polls, though our Stewart Mandel did have the Nittany Lions No. 2, two spots ahead of the Buckeyes, in his post-spring Top 25, so we'll see in a few weeks. Regardless, if Ohio State beats Texas to open the year, it'll be the No. 1 team in the country going into the Grambling State game. Penn State doesn't play anyone of note until Oregon on Sept. 27. Some people have a lot to say about Allar being overrated, but I don't know if I'd go that far right now. He's No. 6 on our list of projected starting quarterbacks, which I think is a fair spot. He has a chance to be a high draft pick next year, the physical traits are all there and I don't think we've seen him play his best ball yet because of the lack of weapons Penn State had at wide receiver (something the Nittany Lions have attempted to correct through the portal). If you put him on Ohio State this year, I think people would be talking much more about the Buckeyes winning back-to-back titles, to be honest. I like Sayin a lot, but he's young and unproven. If you're asking me who the better quarterback is right now, it's Allar. Still, for where Ohio State is, I'd take Sayin because there's a bright future brewing for Ohio State's young players that could all come together for another title run in the next year or two with him at quarterback. And I think it's time Ohio State begins rebuilding and developing its quarterback room after having to go to the portal last year and struggling for consistency with Kyle McCord. Advertisement How truly competitive is the QB competition? Day talks about it like it's really close, but he always says stuff like that in QB comps. What concerns me more is chatter that neither QB has separated himself. If that's true, is that because both are underwhelming? Or because both look great? — Michael H. The way I've been describing the quarterback battle is it's more like Devin Brown vs. Kyle McCord in 2023 than Will Howard vs. Brown last offseason. Last year, there was a 'QB competition,' but I don't think Howard was ever going to be the backup after transferring from Kansas State. The year before, though, Brown and McCord went back and forth all the way into the season. This year's battle between Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz seems more like the latter because the spring was truly a back-and-forth affair. It says a lot that when the receivers go to California to work out together, they are with both Sayin and Kienholz. Both have good qualities, but they were inconsistent in the spring. I wouldn't quite say underwhelming; it was kind of what you'd expect from two players who played a total of 35 snaps last season. Only 14 of those were passing snaps, and all of them went to Sayin. They just don't have experience being the guy right now. Though I think Sayin had the slight lead leaving the spring game, it could change after the first camp weekend if he doesn't build off what he did then. Ultimately, I think it'll be Sayin starting, but I could see this dragging right up to Texas week. In the last couple of decades of watching Ohio State football, it's been common to see them have high highs (winning a championship) followed by a period of good, but not great, football. Is there any reason to be optimistic that Ohio State could have a season better than history might project us to believe it will be? In other words, could they realistically contend for a championship this year? — Tim W. I would disagree with the idea that Ohio State has been 'good, but not great' after winning championships. After Ohio State won the 2002 title, it went 11-2 and won the Fiesta Bowl in 2003, finishing No. 4 in the AP poll. And after winning the inaugural College Football Playoff in 2024, Ohio State probably should've won back-to-back titles but lost to Michigan State and still finished 12-1 and ranked No. 4 again. Advertisement No team has had a more consistent 21st century than Ohio State, so when we say 'good but not great,' you mean good, but coming up short of a title. Can Ohio State be a title contender this year? Yes. But a bit more parity has crept back into college football now and the only team to win back-to-back titles in the Playoff era is Georgia in 2021 and 2022. I think there's a handful of true contenders this year: Texas, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Penn State, Georgia, Oregon, Clemson, Alabama and maybe LSU. That's nine teams, so a trip to the quarterfinal would be a good season and anything after that would be great. I think that's realistic for a team that lost 14 NFL Draft picks but returns the best receiving corps in the country, one of the deepest tight end groups, the best safety and a talented secondary. As long as Ohio State can avoid some early traps against Washington and Illinois, it's realistic to think it will be in that conversation again. Will the Buckeyes win it all? I'd bet against it right now, but the sport is extremely unpredictable. (Top photo of Julian Sayin: Ben Jackson / Getty Images)
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Early Point Spread Released for Texas vs. Ohio State in Week 1
Early Point Spread Released for Texas vs. Ohio State in Week 1 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The wait is almost over. The 2025 college football season will kick off on Saturday, Aug. 23 for Week 0. Although the majority of teams won't see the field until Aug. 30, the Week 1 slate includes one of the biggest games of the year. Advertisement Texas will travel to Ohio State for a massive season opener on Aug. 30. The two teams are expected to be ranked within the top five and ESPN's College GameDay will be in attendance. The rematch of last years College Football Playoff semifinal will feature Lee Corso's final ESPN broadcast, quarterback phenom Arch Manning's first game as the full-time starter for the Longhorns, and it's expected to mark Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin's first collegiate start. Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch J. Rebilas-Imagn Images The winner of this significant non-conference matchup will likely become the heavy favorite to take home the national title this season. And according to FanDuel's early betting lines, Ohio State has the edge in this one. The Buckeyes are the 2.5-point favorite over the Longhorns. Advertisement A road win here would give Texas significant momentum through the rest of the season. The Longhorns have benefited from big non-conference games in the past that included key wins over Alabama (2023) and Michigan (2024). FanDuel also views Texas as the 2.5-point underdog to Georgia, but heavy favorites over Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Related: Steve Sarkisian Delivers Confident Message on Season Opener at Ohio State This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
