COLUMBUS, Ohio — The hype train for Texas quarterback Arch Manning is at full steam.

It started during his recruitment as a five-star prospect with that name. It built when he flashed potential across 27 offensive snaps as a freshman in 2023. It grew last year as he factored into a run to the College Football Playoff semifinals, starting two regular season games in place of former Ohio State quarterback Quinn Ewers.

Then came the offseason.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian wasted little time naming Manning the starter in 2025. At the Manning Passing Academy, he was the center of attention. On ESPN, he’s a frequent talking point.

“Arch Manning is the best college football quarterback we have seen since Tim Tebow entered the scene in 2006,” Paul Finebaum said on Get Up earlier this month.

Perhaps this hype will be warranted. Texas should be a championship contender this season, and if Manning plays anywhere near his level of expectations, he’ll be a Heisman candidate.

What if he’s not the best quarterback inside Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, though?

There’s hasn’t been much national hype building around Ohio State’s quarterback situation, and some of that is due to coach Ryan Day not naming a starter yet. But many presume it’ll be Julian Sayin getting the nod after serving as the third option during his freshman campaign last year.

Sayin hasn’t been around college football for two years like Manning has, and he hasn’t earned a start like his Week 1 counterpart. However, he fits other notable criteria:

Sayin was a five-star prospectSayin was the top quarterback in his recruiting classSayin committed to and signed with an SEC program (Alabama) out of high school

Also, both quarterbacks are in favorable situations, surrounded by coaches who have a track record of developing the position while also playing for programs familiar with success.

Hype around Sayin will undoubtedly grow if he proves to be the better quarterback in Ohio State’s highly-anticipated season opener against Texas, but it seems national discussions about Sayin will have to wait until he’s shown it on the field.

In a rare set of circumstances, Ohio State’s quarterback will carry less attention into a marquee matchup.

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