The No. 3-ranked Buckeyes are entering a season where the target on their backs feels even bigger, despite having a trophy in hand. The Week 1 matchup, which is going to be a No. 1 vs. No. 3 matchup between Texas and Ohio State, is probably the most hyped matchup of this season. Taking the field against the most celebrated QB in the country can rattle any veteran coach. Day admitted to Eleven Warriors’ Chase Brown that the upcoming matchup has been costing him sleep.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel also reflected, “I think there’s a little bit of pressure to kind of pick a guy because, you know, you open with Texas, right.” The urgency in Ohio State’s fall camp is palpable, especially when the offense itself is feeling the effects. JBook of Bucknuts took to X, to reflect that receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate told Big Ten Network, “when the offense keeps rotating the QBs in Sayin and Kienholz, it makes it hard for the offense to get going and put drives together in practice.” But the duo also expressed confidence that whichever quarterback gets the nod will certainly do a great job.

Like Michigan and Notre Dame, Ohio State will also hold a scrimmage this weekend, one of the final opportunities for head coach Ryan Day to get a clear read on his quarterback before naming a starter. The race between Julian Sayin and Lincoln Keinholz remains tight. Sayin has shown flashes of his deep-ball talent and arm race strength, while Keinholz has earned praise for his leadership, and he’s officially named as one of eight Iron Buckeyes. There is no room for error as they prepare to play No. 1-ranked Texas in the season opener. In what could be the most anticipated game of the year for college football, this scrimmage could either be the spark or the warning sign that determines who gets the first snap.

Day has admitted earlier that the competition between them is “pretty much neck and neck.” Day has noticed Sayin’s arm strength and elite football IQ, which are impressive flashes. The South Dakota multisport sensation Kienholz, meanwhile, is making this a real battle; he has demonstrated enough dedication that dropping out of the portal was not an option. Meanwhile, Texas’s Steve Sarkisian doesn’t have to worry about who will take the first snap or about quarterback reps. Arch Manning replacing Quinn Ewers was part of his five-star succession plan, and it’s already in action. The stability gives the Longhorns an edge on August 30, adding yet another layer of pressure to Day’s biggest early-season test in years.

Urban Meyer’s warning to Ryan Day

Ryan Day was Urban Meyer’s hand-picked offensive coordinator before becoming the head coach. Meyer trusted Day to lead the Buckeyes’ offense before handing him the big chair in 2018. It’s been quite an adventure since then. Day has endured relentless criticism, rumors that he won’t be able to keep his job, and the label that he “can’t win the big one.” All of that noise was finally shut down with last season’s national championship victory.

But Urban Meyer is well aware of what Day is getting into. “Mack Brown once said to me, ‘I have good news and bad news. Good news is you won a national championship. Bad news is you won a national championship,” Meyer said to Cameron Teague Robinson of The Athletic. “Now everything is, ‘Why didn’t you win it this year?’” So now that the trophy is on your shelf, it also just raises the bar of expectations for fans much higher.

Meyer was blunt, saying Ohio State football operates under unrelenting pressure. “Ohio State has extremely high expectations… It’s been not just high expectations, but almost unfair expectations,” he said, adding that in return, “they give you the most incredible support that exists.”Day’s players adore him, he’s dominating the recruiting trail, and his 70–10 record gives him the best active winning percentage in the nation. Still, Meyer knows how quickly the conversation can shift in Columbus. He warned Day that one bad Saturday is all it takes for the whispers to start swirling. And this upcoming clash on August 30 can be a catalyst in the conversation.