The Ohio State Buckeyes kicked off the 2025 season in the best way possible, defeating the Texas Longhorns, who were ranked preseason No. 1 in the AP Poll. As the defending national champions, Ohio State is aiming for back-to-back titles.
Head coach Ryan Day isn’t satisfied with just beating Texas. He issued a warning for the rest of Ohio State’s season and shared his thoughts on redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Sayin’s performance against the Longhorns.
Ryan Day Evaluates Julian Sayin After Texas Win, Issues Warning for Ohio State’s Season
The Buckeyes looked strong in their season opener against Texas, holding the Longhorns and Arch Manning to just one touchdown in their 14-7 victory. Starting the year with a win over the preseason No. 1 team is about as good as it gets, but Day knows the Buckeyes still have a long way to go if they want to capture another national title.
In a recent press conference, Day acknowledged that the win over Texas shows his players they can compete with any team in the country, but he also warned that there are still plenty of areas the team needs to improve.
Ryan Day on Ohio State’s mentality after beating No. 1 Texas:
“Coming out of that game, they realize they can play with anybody in the country,” he said, “That being said, it’s a long season, there are so many corrections that need to be made, there are a lot of improvements…
— Chase Brown (@chaseabrown__) September 2, 2025
“Coming out of that game, they realize they can play with anybody in the country,” Day said. “That being said, it’s a long season, there are so many corrections that need to be made, there are a lot of improvements that have to happen in all three phases.”
It’s a good mindset for Day, as he knows neither he nor his team can get complacent after just one week of football.
While Day wants to see improvement from the team, including Sayin, he was pleased with the young quarterback’s performance in his first college start against Texas.
Ryan Day said Julian Sayin graded out a Champion in Ohio State’s win over No. 1 Texas. “I don’t think he ever flinched. Good start, but a lot of football to go,” Day said of Sayin’s performance.
— Chase Brown (@chaseabrown__) September 2, 2025
“I don’t think he ever flinched,” Day said. “Good start, but a lot of football to go.”
Sayin didn’t light up the box score in his debut, but as Day pointed out, he played composed and helped the Buckeyes secure the win. He finished the game completing 13 of 20 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown.
WIN COLUMNS 🌰
A 40 yard throw from Julian Sayin connected with Carnell Tate for the Buckeyes second touchdown of the day 🗣️@OhioStateFB | #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/YdUsQ52efn
— Ohio State Buckeyes 🌰 (@OhioStAthletics) August 31, 2025
It wasn’t a standout performance, but he didn’t turn the football over and stayed calm during the game’s most crucial moments. The Buckeyes’ offense only scored 14 points, well below their 35.7-point average from last year, which explains why Day still wants to see major improvements.
After working on those adjustments throughout the week in practice, Ohio State will continue its season on Saturday, September 6, against Grambling State.
