Three of college football’s most iconic programs — Alabama, Ohio State, and Notre Dame — are walking into the 2025 season with quarterback battles that are loud, layered, and loaded with implications. These competitions can each be summed up in two words, though the full stories behind them require more than a headline. “Next Up” defines Alabama’s situation. “Pressure Cooker” describes what’s happening in Columbus. And for Notre Dame, it’s simply “Your Move.”
At Alabama, the post-Jalen Milroe era has arrived. With Milroe off to the NFL, the Crimson Tide are once again in a familiar spot: hunting for the next guy to lead one of college football’s most scrutinized and talent-rich offenses. But this isn’t unfamiliar territory for Tuscaloosa. From Hurts to Tua to Mac Jones to Bryce Young to Milroe, the story of Alabama football over the past decade has been shaped by the “next man up” approach at quarterback. The difference now? There’s no clear-cut favorite.
Julian Sayin, the former five-star recruit who transferred back to Alabama from Ohio State after one redshirt season, has quickly become the face of this competition. He’s polished, poised, and prototypical — the kind of quarterback Alabama fans have been begging to see since the departure of Bryce Young. But Sayin isn’t walking into a room full of hand-me-downs. He’s battling Austin Mack, the reclassified 2024 prospect who had offers from all over the country and carries a mature game beyond his age. Then there’s Dylan Lonergan, the steady hand who stayed through the chaos, waited behind Milroe, and now finally has a shot at the job.
What makes Alabama’s situation unique is that it’s as much about fit as it is about flash. Kalen DeBoer, entering his second year in Tuscaloosa, needs a quarterback who can master his precision-heavy system. That means the race might not go to the best athlete or the strongest arm, but rather the one who can process defenses and make the throws that keep the chains moving. DeBoer doesn’t need a superhero. He needs a distributor. And that’s what makes this battle so fascinating — there are multiple quarterbacks who check different boxes, but no one who checks them all.
This is why “Next Up” fits the Crimson Tide. It’s not just about who’s starting Week 1 — it’s about which quarterback is ready to lead a team still stacked with NFL-level talent. Alabama hasn’t taken a step back in the skill department. It’s just looking for the right signal-caller to steer the ship. And in typical Alabama fashion, the answer might not be obvious until late August. But the talent is there. The stage is set. All that’s left is for someone to claim it.
Shift the focus to Columbus, and the tone gets a little more intense. Ohio State’s quarterback competition isn’t just about opportunity — it’s about expectation. The phrase “Pressure Cooker” couldn’t be more accurate. After missing the College Football Playoff for the second straight year and watching bitter rival Michigan continue to stockpile Big Ten titles, Ryan Day’s program is officially in do-or-die territory. And that pressure is squarely on the shoulders of whoever wins the quarterback job.
Devin Brown looked like the heir apparent last fall, but inconsistency and injury stalled his development. Lincoln Kienholz showed flashes, but he’s still seen more as a long-term project than a short-term solution. Enter Will Howard, the veteran Kansas State transfer who brings experience, toughness, and a proven track record of winning. Howard didn’t transfer to Ohio State to sit. He came to compete — and to win.
But this is no coronation. Ohio State fans want flash. They want Heisman-level upside. And Howard, for all his leadership and savvy, isn’t the human highlight reel fans have grown used to seeing under center in Columbus. That’s where Air Noland comes in. The freshman phenom with a rocket arm and a high football IQ has already turned heads during spring practices. He’s raw, yes — but the ceiling is undeniable. In a world where Georgia won a national championship with a former walk-on and Alabama survived with Milroe’s legs more than his reads, Noland offers that blend of playmaking and unpredictability that coaches secretly love.
Still, Day’s job is to win — now. And that’s what makes this situation feel like a pressure cooker. Every decision will be second-guessed. Every incompletion magnified. And in the background, the ticking clock of a program desperate to prove it’s still elite continues to grow louder. There’s no more room for moral victories or “next year” talk in Columbus. The Buckeyes need a quarterback who can beat Michigan, win the Big Ten, and get them back into the playoff. Anything less will be seen as failure. And for the player who wins this job, that pressure starts from the first snap.
Meanwhile, in South Bend, the tone is quieter — but no less compelling. Notre Dame’s quarterback room is in the midst of a strategic chess match, and the right move could define the Marcus Freeman era. That’s why “Your Move” sums it up best.
CJ Carr is the headliner — the five-star freshman, grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, and the quarterback Irish fans have been dreaming about since he committed. He’s got the pedigree, the arm talent, and the maturity to be “the guy” early in his career. But he’s not walking into a void.
Kenny Minchey returns as the highest-upside passer already familiar with the offense, and Steve Angeli is the locker room favorite — steady, smart, and capable of managing a game without mistakes. Notre Dame also brought in Tyler Van Dyke from Miami before spring camp, giving them a veteran option with big-game experience and an NFL arm. On paper, it looks like too many cooks. In reality, it’s the best problem Freeman could ask for.
Still, someone has to step up. Carr might be the future, but Notre Dame has the kind of roster that can win now. The defense is loaded. The offensive line is tough. The skill guys can go. That means Freeman needs to make a call — play the long game with Carr or chase a 2025 playoff bid with a more experienced guy like Van Dyke. And that’s what makes this such a “Your Move” moment for Notre Dame’s staff. Because whatever call they make will come with consequences.
Carr is good enough to transfer and start somewhere else tomorrow. If the staff plays it too safe, they risk losing the most talented QB prospect to come through South Bend in a generation. But if they throw him in too early and it backfires, it could derail a team that’s otherwise built for a 10+ win season. That balance — patience versus ambition — is delicate. And the truth is, there’s no right answer. Only time will tell if Freeman makes the right move. But he has to make one soon.
So here we are. Three programs. Three quarterback battles. Each summarized in two words that speak volumes.
At Alabama, the focus is on who’s next — because the machine keeps rolling, and someone has to take the wheel. In Columbus, it’s all about pressure — because winning is no longer optional, and quarterback play will decide everything. And in South Bend, it’s about making the right move — because the margin for error in the Marcus Freeman era is razor-thin, and quarterback is the most important piece on the board.
College football’s biggest programs are only as good as their quarterbacks. And right now, the search for the right ones at Alabama, Ohio State, and Notre Dame is shaping up to be one of the sport’s biggest stories in 2025. Not just because of who wins the job, but because of everything those decisions say about where each program is headed. One thing is certain — the quarterbacks who emerge will not only define their teams this fall but also shape the national title race. The clock is ticking, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.