Ohio State coach Ryan Day handed Sayin the job following a spirited competition with junior Lincoln Kienholz and freshman Tavien St. Clair. Sayin, measuring in at 6-foot-1 and 208 pounds, backed up Will Howard last season, mostly appearing in mop-up duty.

No Ohio State first-time starting quarterback has won an opener against a ranked team. Can Julian Sayin break through against No. 1 Texas Longhorns?

For Smith’s sake, having a talented quarterback is paramount to his quest to become just the sixth wide receiver in college football history to win the Heisman Trophy. Athlon Sports’ Kyle Wood places him at No. 5 in his list of top contenders to win the prestigious award.