When the AP preseason poll crowns Texas No. 1 for the first time, the heat is on, and Steve Sarkisian knows exactly what’s at stake. After a strong College Football Playoff run and a heartbreaking 13-3 season that ended just short against Ohio State, Texas is ready to make an impact this time. Even Sarkisian believes in the turnaround, as he knows Ohio State inside and out after last year’s face-off, but a potential game-changer could still derail Ryan Day’s plans. That’s right. Buckeyes DC Matt Patricia can change the entire game for Day. Now, one thing is clear: this season isn’t just hype; it’s a high-stakes quest for redemption, and Texas is all-in.

Well, just weeks before the actual showdown, the heat is turning up real fast. And Ryan Day’s sleepless nights prove it. After the fall camp media interaction, when asked if he’s sleeping better after Ohio State’s natty last season, Day didn’t think twice before saying “No” with a laugh. It’s pretty clear that he’s stressed about just how big the Texas game is, saying, “If we didn’t open up with Texas, maybe. If you want to take a deep breath, I mean, the first game is a monster, right out of the gate.” No wonder that Day is treating this opener like a playoff game since day 1.

Now? Steve Sarkisian’s tough warning is just adding more pressure on him. Talking to the Stampede, Sark made his stance clear on how he looks up to their Week 1 game against Ohio State and praised their offense: “The hardest part with these guys, you know, I think offensively, their identity is their identity. And I’m sure you know Brian Hartline and Ryan Day; they’re going to have some new wrinkles, but I don’t think we’re going to see an overhaul of change of who they are offensively.” That makes sense. As their offense has averaged at least 30 points and 6 yards per play in every season under Day.

And the transition from Chip Kelly to Brian Hartline should also be smooth. But the real test lies in how their defense is going to perform this season. We all know it was Jim Knowles‘ defensive mind that took Ohio State to a title run. And now that he’s at Penn State, Matt Patricia is taking up the charge. And it’s just raising major red flags. “Defensively, it is more difficult to change coordinators and to change coordinators from a college coordinator coming in, and that he’d have some film on. But here’s an NFL coordinator, Matt Patricia, whose last NFL job was actually as an NFL head coach, and he was out for a year, so he really hasn’t been a coordinator for almost five years,” Steve Sarkisian added.

Sure, replacing Jim Knowles won’t be easy. In his four seasons at Ohio State, his defenses were consistently top-ranked nationally, leading in total defense (284.8 yards/game), second in scoring defense (15.7 points/game), and holding opponents to a 30.5% third-down conversion rate. And Steve Sarkisian’s warning makes sense. The last time Matt Patricia was a defensive coordinator was back in 2017; after that, he was the head coach of New England till 2020. So, that gap might be concerning. But let’s not forget when he was a DC. New England won three Super Bowls and also appeared in the AFC Championship Game from 2011 to 2018 with a 75-21 record.

So, let’s just not count Ohio State out of the race yet. And it’s not just Ryan Day’s team that could face challenges this season. Despite their No. 1 AP poll ranking, Steve Sarkisian’s team faces a huge early test: a week one showdown against No. 3 Ohio State in Columbus. ESPN reports that Texas is a 2.5-point underdog in this matchup, the first time since 1978 that a No. 1 team opens the season as an underdog. This historic situation adds even more excitement as the Longhorns try to prove their ranking is no fluke.

But that’s not the only thing that’s turning heads in Buckeyes camp.

Ryan Day makes bold QB1 battle revelation

The quarterback competition at Ohio State is intensifying, and Ryan Day is drawing parallels to a memorable past. He’s comparing the current battle between Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz to the iconic 2018 face-off between Joe Burrow and Dwayne Haskins. “It’s similar to Dwayne Haskins and Joe Burrow in terms of skill set,” Coach Day said. “Nothing is exactly the same. Ultimately, it will come down to how they perform on the field.” This comparison immediately raises the stakes for the young quarterbacks.

Day, who was then Ohio State’s offensive coordinator and QB coach, witnessed firsthand the impact of the 2018 competition. Sayin’s precise throwing style evokes Haskins, while Kienholz’s athleticism and potential bring Burrow to mind. Both players now carry significant expectations, given the impressive legacy they’re following. Burrow ultimately chose LSU when it became clear Haskins would start, and the rest, as they say, is history. Burrow had a sensational 2019, setting records and guiding LSU to a National Championship, also winning the Heisman. Haskins, meanwhile, excelled at Ohio State, earning MVP awards in key games and becoming a first-round NFL draft pick.

Sure, he has high expectations for Sayin and Kienholz, and both of them know what is at stake. But despite that, Ryan Day made it pretty clear that there’s still no clear front-runner. “Not going to predict when we’re going to make the decision,” Day said. “But we’re getting more and more information. Not going to announce anything right now; going to let it play out.” Now, with a warning sign and a QB room that still needs a decision, it’s time to see if Day makes an early call or ends up choosing a player who shuts their championship hopes.