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The Ohio State Buckeyes and Texas Longhorns meet on August 30 for what could be one of the best games of the entire 2025 season. These two squads met last year in the College Football Playoff Semifinal, with the Buckeyes emerging victorious and advancing to the National Championship.
Just 24 days remain until kickoff. Head coach Ryan Day would love to have his starter announced sooner rather than later. With Will Howard backing up Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh, fresh off winning a National Championship, you could say there is no better time for Day to begin a season with an inexperienced quarterback.
Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz are fighting for the job. The Buckeyes did not follow suit and acquire a starting quarterback in the transfer window, as they did the year before with Howard; instead, they are moving forward with the second and third-string quarterbacks from 2024. Sayin and Kienholz have been battling for the job this camp, and according to Day, it's been healthy for the entire team.
“Guys are always on edge, they’re uncomfortable, they’re working at it,” Day said. “And I think that’s healthy for the entire building.”
Kienholz weighed in on the relationship between him and Sayin, as well as Tavien St. Clair.
“I’d say we’re friends, honestly,” Kienholz said. “I think just the past two years Julian and I have developed a good friendship and good relationship toward each other. Then obviously with Tavien (St. Clair) coming in this year as well, I think we’re all cool towards each other and we all want each other to get better and be the best we can.”
Kienholz has been with the Buckeyes for two seasons. He was the third string to Kyle McCord and Devin Brown in 2023 and then was the third string once again last season behind Sayin and Howard. Kienholz knows the system. He is in his junior season with 10 completions and 111 passing yards in his career.
Sayin is likely going to win the job unless something switches up right before the decision. Sayin is a former 5-star recruit and was one of the top players in the nation his senior year at Carlsbad High School.
It's only a matter of time until Ohio State has its starting signal caller.
