As the 2025 college football season kicks off, Ohio State enters as the reigning national champions for the first time since 2014. Under Ryan Day, the Buckeyes dominated the College Football Playoff, winning by an average of 17.5 points per game.
The Buckeyes capped off their national title pursuit with a 34-23 defeat against Notre Dame. Now with a new season full of expectations, Day emphasized “control” when discussing how his team will defend the title.
“You have to focus on what you can control,” Day said on ESPN's College GameDay. “There are so many things that are out of your control. There are so many things that are going to come at you. And what you have to do is just focus on that, focus on the relationships in the building and what matters. And what matters is what we do in the stadium.”
The No. 3-ranked Buckeyes are preparing for the highlight matchup of Week 1. No. 1 Texas heads to Columbus for a rematch of last season's CFP semifinal, where Ohio State claimed a 28-14 victory.
With a new season set to begin, Day is focused on minimizing distractions and leaving last season behind.
“The most important thing is what we do in the building every day, keeping the distractions to the side, and then focusing on doing our job and playing really, really hard on the field,” Day said.
That mantra will be most important for Day's starting quarterback: Julian Sayin, a former five-star recruit and No. 1 quarterback in the Class of 2024.
Sayin will be making his first collegiate start against Texas. Coincidentally, the quarterback on the opposite side is the No. 1 quarterback in the Class of 2023, Arch Manning.
The duel will be one of Week 1's biggest headlines. Amid all the hype, Day will focus on what got Ohio State back to the championship circle: living in the present.
