Ohio State Names Julian Sayin QB1 vs. Arch Manning, No. 1 Texas to Replace Will Howard

The Julian Sayin era has begun.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day announced Monday that redshirt freshman and former 5-star recruit Julian Sayin will be the team's Week 1 starter for its matchup against Texas in Week 1.

The former Alabama transfer beat out redshirt sophomore Lincoln Kienholz in the quarterback battle, which has been ongoing since the spring. Both players sought to replace Will Howard, who departed for the NFL after last season's national championship and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round.

Sayin spent last season as the third-string quarterback behind Will Howard and Devin Brown after departing Alabama following Nick Saban's decision to retire. He appeared in just four games, completing 5-of-12 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown to go along with a pair of runs for 24 yards.

Sayin was the high-profile option in this year's quarterback battle, which Day compared to the 2018 quarterback showdown in Columbus.

"It's similar to Dwayne Haskins and Joe Burrow in terms of skill set," he told reporters last week. "Nothing is exactly the same. Ultimately, it will come down to how they perform on the field."

Sayin's first test will be a massive one, as he'll face top-ranked Texas and one of the biggest names in the sport in fellow quarterback Arch Manning.