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A new rival threatens Arch Manning just as the Texas Longhorns quarterback was about to have his moment in college football. Analysts have found a new talent who could steal the show: none other than recent Ohio State champion sophomore Julian Sayin.
Media and fans expected the next season to be Manning's breakout season. After Quinn Ewers declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, the spotlight was set to shine on Arch, who spent his first two years of college in Ewers' shadow.
However, analyst Jake Crain believes Sayin has the potential to steal Manning's thunder. In fact, during his podcast, Crain & Company, Crain said Sayin will have a chance to prove his superiority right from the start of the season when Texas visits Ohio State on August 30.
Will sayin crush Manning?
In a debate with his co-hosts David Cone and Blain Crain, Jake itted that Manning will be a good fit for head coach Steve Sarkisian's roster. However, "I think he [Sayin] could actually be the generational young player in this group of young guys across the country," Crain noted.
He pointed out that Sayin and head coach Ryan Day will have many of the players they brought to the National Championship, including receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. "I think Julian Sayin will be a better player overall, and he is going to blow Arch Manning out of the water in week one at home," Jake said.
Conversely, Cone predicted that Manning will walk out of Ohio Stadium triumphant. "I say Arch Manning will outplay Julian Sayin in that opener for a couple of different reasons," Cone explained, citing that the Texas QB has already played at the college level, while Sayin hasn't had the opportunity.
The Longhorns have experience on their side
Cone feels Texas is in the position Ohio State was in during the 2024-2025 season, with an intact coaching staff, experienced players, and a young quarterback eager to prove all the expectations surrounding him.
Ohio State, on the other hand, still has to navigate the transfer period to see how many players it can retain. Plus, Sayin failed to take a single snap in his freshman season, while Manning started several games while Ewers recovered from an injury.
The start of the 2025-2026 NCAA season is still nearly seven months away, and a lot will happen in that time. Whether Sayin will be able to beat Manning depends on many factors that only time will reveal.