Ohio State’s quarterback search for 2027 may already be running into a wall.
With Julian Sayin’s throwing shoulder injury possibly closing the book on what could be his final college season, the Buckeyes may need a veteran transfer to stabilize the position if Luke Fahey or Tavien St. Clair isn’t ready to take over. But two of the biggest names that had been floating around the portal conversation now look far less available than they did a day ago.
Braden Atkinson, the breakout quarterback at Oregon State, got a strong push to stay put on Friday afternoon. Beavers receiver Jesse Legree announced he would be re-signing with Oregon State for the 2027 season, a move that suggests Atkinson may not be leaving Corvallis after all. Atkinson had been the kind of arm talent that could make a program dream, even if he wasn’t an ideal fit in Arthur Smith’s system.
Arch Manning is a different kind of rumor altogether, but one that has Buckeyes fans looking west and then quickly turning away. After starting his run as Texas’ full-time QB1 with a 14-7 loss to Ohio State at the Shoe in Week 1 of the 2025 season, Manning has been linked by the rumor mill to Ole Miss if he decides to leave the Longhorns.
“Arch could transfer,” NFL insider Tom Pelissero said on The Bill Simmons Podcast. “I texted one person who's known Arch for a long time, and I said, 'Where do you see Arch in 2027,' and his response was, 'Ole Miss.'”
That does not make it fact, and it does not point Ohio State’s way.
If the Buckeyes do go hunting for a portal quarterback, Minnesota’s Drake Lindsey stands out as the cleanest schematic match. He fits Smith’s offense, and Ohio State has the kind of pull to jump into a bidding war if necessary. The program has done it before, bringing in Will Howard from Kansas State before the 2024 championship season.
For now, though, the market looks thinner than it did just a moment ago. Two of the names that sounded like possible answers may already be spoken for.
In Other News...
South Carolinas Tennessee Breakthrough Now Carries One Huge Pressure
South Carolinas win over No. 11 Tennessee gave Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks a signature moment, but in the SEC, a breakthrough like that can quickly become a trap. Around the league, several teams have taken down ranked opponents only to stumble in the very next game, and that is the kind of swing Beamer knows can erase momentum fast. For a program trying to build something real, a victory that once felt like a turning point cant become the high point.
Now the challenge shifts to Oklahoma, where South Carolina has to prove the Tennessee result was a step forward and not just another example of the leagues so-called SEC Flu. Beamer has already acknowledged that danger, but his message is simple enough: enjoy the win, then move on. In a conference where every week seems to punish anyone who gets comfortable, the Gamecocks biggest test may be how well they handle the noise after their biggest recent breakthrough. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Just Got Another Reason To Celebrate That Tennessee Win
South Carolinas win over Tennessee already stood out as one of the programs most important early-season results, and now it has another layer of recognition attached to it. Nolan Hay, the fifth-year offensive lineman who started at center in the 27-24 victory over the No. 11 Volunteers, was named the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America.
Hays work up front helped the Gamecocks put together 344 total yards and average 5.5 yards per play against one of the nations better defenses, the kind of efficiency that made the upset possible. It also marked the second time a South Carolina player has picked up the weekly honor, a small but meaningful sign that the performance in Knoxville resonated well beyond the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Dawn Staley Finally Addressed The Geno Handshake Drama
Dawn Staley has had time to unpack the postgame handshake moment with Geno Auriemma from South Carolinas win in the 2026 Womens Final Four, and her comments put the episode in a different light than the one it briefly took on in the aftermath. Staley said she did not realize Auriemma was expecting a second pregame handshake, and she made clear the awkward exchange was about more than a single missed greeting.
The larger backdrop, of course, is the rivalry itself and South Carolinas recent run of success against UConn, which has only sharpened the edge between two of the sports most accomplished coaches. Staley also emphasized her respect for Auriemma, but her reflections suggested there were deeper tensions sitting underneath the public moment, which is what made the whole scene resonate well beyond one game. [Read more 🡒]