Defending Champs Ohio State Have a Quarterback Battle Brewing

Either Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz will probably be leading the Buckeyes when they open against Texas on Aug. 30.

Head coach Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate after beating Notre Dame in the 2025 CFP National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 20, 2025. Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

The Ohio State Buckeyes enter the 2025 season in a familiar spot in addition to being defending national champions for the first time in 10 years.

Just like the 2015 squad, this year’s Buckeyes team will have a new quarterback after a national championship run the season before. Ohio State’s 2024 starter, Will Howard, has moved on to the NFL, and now Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz will take over.

“The competition continues,” coach Ryan Day told reporters on Aug. 5. “They both have had good moments and moments where they’re growing. I will say I’ve been pleased with the progress.

“It’s going to go right down to the wire,” he continued. “The positives of having a competition is that you know every day you got to bring it. The guys are always on edge, they’re uncomfortable, they’re working at it. I think that’s healthy for the entire building.”

Sayin, a redshirt freshman, has appeared in only four career games for the Buckeyes. That included a brief appearance against the Tennessee Volunteers in the College Football Playoff last season, when he completed five of 12 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. A five-star recruit and Alabama transfer, Sayin is known for his strong footwork and accurate passing.

“I feel like I’m developing in my footwork, accuracy, and mechanics. It’s just all about building confidence. You make a great play, you start to build that confidence,” Sayin told reporters on Tuesday.

Kienholz last played in a game during the 2023 Cotton Bowl, when he went six of 17 for 86 yards. He has a career mark of 10 for 22 passing for 111 yards. A four-star recruit, Kienholz is known for his athleticism and arm strength.

“As a freshman going in there, I didn’t really know a whole lot. I didn’t really know how protections worked, and, I mean, now that’s something that I feel like I’m pretty good at, and I go out and execute that well,” Kienholz told reporters Tuesday. “I’ve been in the offense for three years now, so it’s something that I think just more time, more reps and film study, it’s helped me get better.”

Aside from small sample sizes and talent, Day said his main concern is finding the best leader. Day has been able to find that consistently, compiling a 70–10 record over seven seasons with the Buckeyes.

“So when you’re going through that competition, it’s not a comfortable feeling, but that’s OK,” Day explained. “That’s part of the process.”

“And just go back to that, if I could talk to my former self in that spot I would say, ‘Be the hardest worker. Outwork the room. But control the things that you can control. Things like the team, commanding the huddle, commanding the line of scrimmage, your body language, your leadership,’” he added. “Those things make a big difference. Probably more than just being 12-of-15 during 7-on-7, if that makes sense.”

Sayin and Kienholz have at least narrowed down the competition from the spring. The Buckeyes have a talented freshman in five-star recruit Tavien St. Clair, but Day has been clear that there’s plenty of growth ahead for the young prospect.

“It’s competitive, but we have each other’s backs no matter what. ... It’s definitely good to have a competitive room because it brings the best out of each other,” Sayin said.

Kienholz concurred that it has been a good dynamic in the quarterback room. Sayin and Kienholz are two of seven quarterbacks on the Buckeyes roster.

“We’re pushing each other. And I mean, Jules is a great dude. A great quarterback as well,” Kienholz said.

Because of minimal game experience, both have been focused on growth. The winner of the quarterback battle will get thrown into the fire when the Buckeyes face the Texas Longhorns on Aug. 30 in a rematch of last season’s national semifinal game.

While Ohio State has yet to reveal the starter, Texas will come into Columbus, Ohio, established at quarterback with redshirt sophomore Arch Manning, who has 12 games of experience already. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes can keep the Longhorns guessing who will start on Aug. 30 in a game that could easily impact the College Football Playoff picture.