"There's a lot of pressure on him": CFB analyst feels for Julian Sayin as Ohio State looks to defend natty in 2025

Julian Sayin has big shoes to fill as he takes the reins as Ohio State's starting quarterback in the 2025 season. He replaces Will Howard, who has now left for the NFL, in the starting role.

The former five-star recruit has a big responsibility on his shoulders to defend the national championship they won earlier this year. As a 19-year-old, it's a lot to handle, especially donning the colors of one of the most prolific programs in the country.

The Buckeyes will open their season against SEC giants—the Texas Longhorns—at home in hopes of repeating their crushing win in the College Football Playoff this past season.

However, college football analyst Craig Shean, who runs his own podcast, believes the matchup is not going to be an easy one. This time, the Longhorns are coming prepared with Arch Manning at the helm. Just like Manning being unproven, Sayin is also a fresh face with heavy expectations to carry forward the Ohio State legacy.

“Julian's saying he's been waiting in the wings for over a year now at Ohio State. We've all heard he's a former five star, and he's ready to show if he's worth the hype,” Shean said on his podcast on Friday. (Timestamp: 6:35)

“He's going to get to do it on a national stage. And the hard part is, though he's stepping in now, and he's taking control of the defending national championship team, so there's a lot of pressure on him. A lot of pressure. Will Howard was an experienced quarterback coming in.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day demands for four automatic qualifiers in playoff

This season, the 12-team bracket will no longer have conference champs securing first-round byes or automatic bids. As per the discussions during the spring meetings, all spots will be filled as per the selection committee’s rankings.

While this model drew flak in college football circles, Ryan Day came forward to share his concerns and demanded at least four automatic qualifiers. According to Day, the Big Ten happens to be a highly competitive league, further making a point that they deserve to be in the playoff.

It turned out to be a major controversy last season when top teams from the SEC got snubbed, owing to their season records. Per reports, the playoff will see more upgrades and revisions in the coming years.