Ohio State Buckeyes Announce Starting QB vs. Texas Longhorns

AUSTIN -- The Texas Longhorns are gearing up for a colossal season-opening matchup against the Ohio State Buckeyes on Aug. 30 in Columbus.

Texas is seeking revenge after getting knocked out of the College Football Playoff Semifinals by Ohio State in January.

However, with Will Howard now in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Buckeyes will have a new face under-center to begin the season against Texas.

Ohio State's New Starting QB

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin during training camp. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day announced Monday that Julian Sayin will start at quarterback for the Buckeyes in the season opener against Texas. The game will mark his first-career start.

Sayin had been in a position battle with Lincoln Kienholz, a former four-star recruit in the 2023 class.

A former five-star recruit in the 2024 class, Sayin was the No. 1 player in the state of California, the No. 1 overall quarterback and the No. 6 player regardless of position in 247Sports' composite rankings.

He originally chose Alabama over offers from elite programs, but spent just a few days enrolled at the university before entering the transfer portal in Jan. 2024. Sayin then committed to Ohio State and spent last season with the title-winning Buckeyes.

Sayin played sparingly last season, appearing in four games on 27 total offensive snaps while going 5 of 12 passing for 84 yards, a touchdown and no picks. He played in the first round of the College Football Playoff against Tennessee while also seeing action in Big Ten wins over the Michigan State Spartans and Purdue Boilermakers.

Sayin also had a 55-yard touchdown pass to Bennett Christian in the 56-0 season-opening win over Western Michigan last September in Columbus.

He's now working on his leadership skills headed into the season.

“I feel like I’m developing in that area,” Sayin said of his leadership, per Ohio State's On3 site. “You know, in the weight room with [strength coach] Mick [Marotti], we’ve been focusing on that, trying to improve in the vocal leadership. And just as a team, we’re trying to grow our leaders.

” … I feel like I’m developing it. I think it has to be authentic. You know, you can’t be someone that you’re not. So, there’s definitely different styles of leadership, but I feel like I’m developing into that more vocal leadership role.”

Texas and Ohio State will kick off from Columbus at 11 a.m. CT on Aug. 30. The game will be broadcast live on FOX.