COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State coach Ryan Day has one message for freshman quarterback Julian Sayin, who will be making his first career start for the No. 3 Buckeyes against top-ranked Texas on Saturday.
“Just win,” Day said Tuesday. “Find a way to win.”
All eyes will be on Sayin and new Texas starting quarterback Arch Manning in the showdown at Ohio Stadium. It’s a rematch of last year’s College Football Playoff semifinal when both players watched from the sideline as Will Howard and Ohio State eliminated Quinn Ewers and Texas on the way to winning the national championship.
Both Sayin and Manning were five-star recruits coming out of high school. Manning started two games in Austin last season when Ewers suffered an injury; Sayin attempted only 12 passes last year in mop-up duty.
Day said the Buckeyes aren’t putting “crazy expectations” on Sayin, who beat out Lincoln Kienholz for the starting nod in the preseason.
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“Take care of the ball. … If you need to throw it away, throw it away,” Day said of his discussions with Sayin heading into Saturday. “Don’t worry about anything else other than winning the game. That’s the most important thing — that’s the job of the quarterback.”
Ohio State will debut eight new starters after losing the bulk of last season’s championship defense to the NFL. Day said facing Manning will pose a “tremendous” challenge for the revamped defense.
“Athletic; a big, strong arm; smart; quick release; accurate — all of the above,” Day said of Manning. “I mean, he checks every box.”
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