There’s an old saying in football that experience is the best teacher - and in today’s college game, that lesson is ringing louder than ever. Especially at quarterback.
In the era of the transfer portal and super seniors, one trend has become increasingly clear: if you want to win a national championship, it helps - a lot - to have a seasoned hand under center. Since 2019, every College Football Playoff-winning quarterback has been in at least his third year of college football.
All but one - Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy in 2023 - were in their fourth year or beyond.
That’s not just a coincidence. That’s a pattern.
Take a look at the last two national champions. In 2024, Ohio State leaned into the formula.
Ryan Day and his staff built a roster that blended homegrown talent with savvy portal additions, and at the heart of it all was Will Howard - a fifth-year senior who transferred in from Kansas State with 34 games of experience already on his résumé. That kind of experience doesn’t just show up in box scores - it shows up in big moments.
Howard was steady, composed, and efficient during the Buckeyes’ four-game run through the CFP. His presence was a stabilizing force for a team loaded with talent but hungry for leadership.
Fast forward to 2025, and Indiana followed a similar script. Curt Cignetti’s squad was loaded with talent - one of the best wide receiver groups in the country, a defense that could go toe-to-toe with anyone - but their title run hinged on the right quarterback.
Enter Fernando Mendoza, a fourth-year junior who transferred in from Cal after two seasons as the starter. His experience, poise, and production didn’t just help Indiana win a national title - it earned him the Heisman Trophy.
Mendoza wasn’t the only veteran presence in the 2025-26 College Football Playoff. All four semifinalists featured upperclassman quarterbacks.
Miami rolled with sixth-year senior Carson Beck. Ole Miss had fifth-year senior Trinidad Chambliss.
It’s no longer just a bonus to have an older quarterback - it’s becoming the blueprint.
We saw the other side of that coin with Ohio State this past season. Julian Sayin, a redshirt freshman, was sensational in his first year as a starter.
He finished as a Heisman finalist and posted one of the best single-season completion percentages in college football history. That’s not just impressive - that’s rare air.
But when the lights got brightest and the Buckeyes needed him most, Sayin showed flashes of inexperience. Some of that was due to an offensive line that struggled late in the year, but part of it came down to reps - the kind you can’t simulate in practice or even in blowout wins.
The kind that only come with time.
The good news for Ohio State? Time is now on Sayin’s side.
Heading into 2026, he’ll be a third-year player with a full season of starting experience. He’ll be 21 and a half years old by the time the national championship game rolls around next January - still younger than some recent title-winning QBs, but not by much.
And more importantly, he won’t be green anymore.
There’s still value in recruiting and developing five-star talents like Sayin and his backup, Tavien St. Clair, who will be in his second year in 2026.
But the recent trend is undeniable: experience matters. Whether it comes from within or via the portal, teams that put a mature, battle-tested quarterback on the field are reaping the rewards.
In 2025, that lack of experience may have been Ohio State’s Achilles’ heel. In 2026, it could be their biggest strength.