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The Ohio State Buckeyes are the reigning national champs and the team from the Midwest has another title on its mind. Head coach Ryan Day is looking for someone to replace former starting quarterback Will Howard, who is in the National Football League with the Pittsburgh Steelers. With that said, it’s not a surprise that the Ohio State football QB battle is expected to end with Julian Sayin on top.
| NCAA Week 1 odds |  |  |  |
| Texas to win | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Ohio State to win | +125 | +125 | +125 |
| Over 48.5 points | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Under 48.5 points | -110 | -110 | -110 |
Over at football training camp for Ohio State, a team with great odds to repeat per the top college football betting sites, Sayin has been in a competition with Lincoln Kienholz, with both quarterbacks playing quite strong at practices. However, Sayin was always considered the favorite. In a new report from reporter Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, he said Sayin is the clear leader and he should start Week 1 vs. Texas.
Julian Sayin continues to trend towards being named the Buckeyes starting quarterback according to Matt Zenitz.
He adds Ohio State coach Ryan Day will likely make a decision on a starter after the scrimmage this weekend. pic.twitter.com/oHaQxdWUev
— The Scarlet and Gray Podcast (@TheSG_Podcast) August 14, 2025
Julian Sayin is expected to be named the new Ohio State starting quarterback
“Both quarterbacks have worked with the first team throughout fall camp, but a source told CBS Sports this week that they think Ohio State coach Ryan Day will likely make a decision on a starter after the Buckeyes’ scrimmage this weekend,” Zenitz wrote in a new piece. “That source would be surprised at this point if Sayin isn’t the choice.”
While Kienholz has looked strong, Sayin is separating himself a bit in this quarterback matchup for the starting role. Sayin is a former 5-star prospect and he originally signed with the Alabama Crimson Tide football team coming out of high school. However, his time with the SEC program didn’t last long, with him transferring to Ohio State not long after he made the move to Alabama.
Now that he’s at Ohio State, he’s ready to push for the starting job and Zenitz is convinced that he’s going to be the one to take the field against Texas on August 30. For Week 1, Ohio State is going to be hosting the Texas Longhorns. This game is going to be remarkable, as Ohio State is ranked No. 3 in the preseason AP Top 25 and Texas is the No. 1 team in the country.
Texas doesn’t have a quarterback controversy on its hands, as Arch Manning is the new starter for the Longhorns football team and veteran head coach Steve Sarkisian. Manning is a redshirt sophomore, but this is his first year as the starting quarterback for his team. According to the best sports betting sites, Texas holds -110 college football betting odds to beat Ohio State.
The Ohio State defense will be ready to give him fits, as Caleb Downs and others will be hungry to make a statement too. Ohio State’s offense will likely be led by Sayin and an announcement from Day might come in as soon as this weekend. Then in about two weeks, Ohio State and Texas will play in what should be a super fun matchup for everyone to watch and wagers will be flying for that game.
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