Ohio State and Tennessee are football blue bloods with long histories of excellence.

But the Buckeyes and Volunteers, who face off Saturday in the first round of the College Football Playoff, have played only once.

Ohio State record vs. Tennessee

The Buckeyes and Volunteers played in the 1996 Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Ohio State was 11-1 entering the game while Tennessee was 10-1. The teams were both ranked No. 4 nationally heading into the game,

Tennessee won 20-14 in front of 70,797 rain-soaked fans..

Future Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning was the Tennessee quarterback and had a relatively quiet day. He threw for only 182 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown.

Ohio State tied the game on a 32-yard pass from Bobby Hoying to tight end Rickey Dudley in the fourth quarter. But Jeff Hall kicked two short field goals for the final points. Volunteers running back Jay Graham ran for 154 yards – 69 on a second-quarter touchdown – to earn MVP honors.

OSU’s Heisman Trophy-winner Eddie George ran for 101 yards and a touchdown.

Did Tennessee cheat against Ohio State?

Don’t be surprised if Eddie George shows up at the Tennessee-Ohio State game with a measuring stick and asking to see the Vols’ cleats.

That’s because at the end of the 1995 season, George’s senior year at Ohio State, the Buckeyes faced Tennessee on New Year’s Day in the Citrus Bowl on a rain-soaked field. The slippery surface led to 19 Vols players opting to wear soccer shoes with cleats longer than the NCAA allowed.

Did the longer cleats make a difference? Who knows, but the sure-footed Vols stopped Ohio State with just over five minutes left on a fourth-and-inches at midfield, with the Buckeyes trailing 17-14. Tennessee held on for a 20-14 victory.

George, who went on to become the Tennessee Titans’ all-time leading rusher and is now the coach at Tennessee State, laughs today when asked about the cleats and the edge the Vols — who admitted to wearing the illegal shoes — tried to gain in that game. But he doesn’t believe the cleats made a difference.

“I would never use that as an excuse. They beat us fair and square,” said George, who rushed for 1,927 yards that season and won the Heisman Trophy. “It was what it was. We’ve talked about it and laughed about it a few times over the years. (Former Vols receiver) Joey Kent was on our (Oilers/Titans) team and I got a chance to talk with him about it. It’s an ongoing joke.”

On that critical fourth down, George never got the chance to make a difference. The Buckeyes were not an option team, but tried to catch the Vols off guard by running an option to get the ball to George on the outside.

Instead, quarterback Bobby Hoying’s errant pitch bounced off the helmet of fullback Matt Calhoun — George’s lead blocker — and was recovered by defensive back Tori Noel.

“It was really hard for us to get going because of the rain,” George said. “Tennessee did a nice job defensively of limiting our explosive runs and passes. They really shut down our run game in the middle.”

−Mike Organ, Nashville Tennessean

When does Ohio State play Tennessee in CFP?

The Buckeyes (10-2) will face Tennessee (10-2) on Saturday, Dec. 21.

What time Ohio State plays Tennessee in CFP

The Buckeyes and Tennessee will play at 8 p.m. Dec. 21.

Where is Ohio State vs. Tennessee?

Ohio State will face Tennessee at Ohio Stadium.

This will be the first game played in December in the 102-year history of the stadium.

Ohio State vs. Tennessee predictions

From Joey Kaufman of The Dispatch:

Ohio State 30, Tennessee 24

The early feeling here is that the Buckeyes recover from a tough loss to rival Michigan and bounce back for the playoff as they did two years ago with a near upset of Georgia, the eventual national champion, in its backyard. Tennessee is formidable with a fast-paced offensive attack led by Dylan Sampson, the Southeastern Conference’s leading rusher, but it hasn’t been as explosive as Josh Heupel’s more recent teams with a first-year starting quarterback in Nico Iamaleava, a redshirt freshman. Look Jim Knowles’ side of the ball to get enough stops in a tight win for Ohio State.

From Rob Oller of The Dispatch:

Ohio State 24, Tennessee 20

Call me a sucker for a good comeback story, and Ohio State coming back from that mess against Michigan would be quite the rally cap moment. Tennessee’s strength is its defensive front — uh-oh — but I have to believe, er, choose to believe that Ryan Day and Chip Kelly have learned their lesson and will throw the ball to set up the run. The No. 8 Buckeyes’ defense will be just good enough to win the day, sending OSU to a rematch against No. 1 Oregon in the Rose Bowl. 

From Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY:

Ohio State over Tennessee

This is the premier pairing of the opening round and a nice barometer of how playoff games could unfold between the best of the best in the Big Ten and SEC. Given two evenly matched teams with similar traits, two factors will make the difference in Ohio State’s favor: homefield advantage and a more credible offense. Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard has more experience and better skill options. But another big game from Volunteers signal caller Nico Iamaleava could easily shift this game in the opposite direction.

Ohio State CFP predictions

To win the national title, the Buckeyes would need to win four games.

Their quarterfinal vs. Oregon would be at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. The semifinals are the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl on Jan. 9 and 10. The championship game is in Atlanta on Jan. 20.

Here are Dispatch columnist Rob Oller’s predictions for the CFP:

First round:

• Ohio State over Tennessee
• Texas over Clemson
• Penn State over SMU
• Notre Dame over Indiana

Quarterfinals:

• Texas over Arizona State
• Ohio State over Oregon
• Penn State over Boise
• Georgia over Indiana

Semifinals:

• Texas over Ohio State
• Georgia over Penn State

Championship:

Texas over Georgia

Ohio State national title odds

Ohio State is the No. 4 betting favorite to win the CFP title, according to Bet MGM.

The Buckeyes are at +500 to win the national championship. Oregon and Texas, at +350, have the best odds, followed by Georgia at +400.

The Ducks, who handed Ohio State one of its two losses this season in a 32-31 thriller on October 12, are the lone remaining undefeated team in the FBS.

Ohio State vs. Tennessee odds

Ohio State is a 7.5-point favorite over Tennessee, by BetMGM.

Ohio State vs. Tennessee over/under

The over-under for the Ohio State-Tennessee game is 47.5, per BetMGM.

Ohio State vs. Tennessee tickets

Tickets for the Ohio State Tennessee game range from $263-$1,228.

Ticket prices for the Ohio State vs. Tennessee game in Columbus start at $285 on VividSeats, $271 on StubHub, $263 on Gametime and $291 on Seat Geek.

To see a full list of ticket prices, visit StubHub, VividSeats, Gametime and Seat Geek.

See Ohio State tickets prices for playoff game

When do Ohio State CFP tickets go on sale to the public?

General public tickets for Ohio State’s game against Tennessee on Dec. 21 sold out in minutes on Thursday morning.

CFP schedule

First round (Dec. 20-21)

No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame, Friday, Dec. 20: 8 p.m. | ABC/ESPN

No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State, Saturday, Dec. 21: 12 p.m. | TNT

No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas, Saturday, Dec. 21: 4 p.m. | TNT

No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State, Saturday, Dec. 21: 8 p.m. | ABC/ESPN

Quarterfinals (Dec. 31-Jan. 1)

Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Boise State vs. No. 6 Penn State/No. 11 SMU winner, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 | ESPN

Peach Bowl: No. 4 Arizona State vs. No. 5 Texas/No. 12 Clemson winner, 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1 | ESPN

Rose Bowl: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 8 Ohio State/No. 9 Tennessee winner, 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1 | ESPN

Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 7 Notre Dame/No. 10 Indiana winner, 8:45 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1 | ESPN

Semifinals (Jan. 9-10)

Orange Bowl: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9 | ESPN

Cotton Bowl: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10 | ESPN

CFP National Championship

7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia | ESPN

What do Ohio State fans need to know about Tennessee?

Josh Heupel’s rebuild of Tennessee involved perimeter talent.

During the Volunteers’ breakthrough in 2022, few offenses in the nation were as explosive through the air.  The centerpiece was Jalin Hyatt, the Biletnikoff Award winner who stretched the field with his deep speed.

But the ninth-seeded Volunteers’ road to the expanded College Football Playoff, where they visit eight-seeded Ohio State for a first-round matchup on Dec. 21, has looked different.

Their primary playmaker is Dylan Sampson, a running back who was the leading rusher in the Southeastern Conference with 1,485 yards and 22 touchdowns this year.

It is the first time in four seasons under Heupel, a former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at Oklahoma, that the Volunteers have averaged more yards rushing (232) than passing (231).

The Volunteers don’t have a receiver with more than 35 receptions. Hyatt caught 67 passes when he edged out Marvin Harrison Jr. for the Biletnikoff Award two years ago.

Sampson has been a workhorse back with 256 carries. Only nine in the Football Bowl Subdivision have totaled more in 2024. His role has helped to take the load off Nico Iamaleava, a redshirt freshman quarterback who has experienced growing pains at times in his first season behind center.

Between Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton, the Volunteers had relied on senior quarterbacks in previous season to push the ball down the field vertically.

With a 5-foot-11 frame that allows him to run low to the ground, Sampson is an elusive back. He has forced 70 missed tackles while rushing, a total that leaves him tied for fifth in the FBS, per Pro Football Focus, and grinds out yards. He has gained 927 after contact.

Tennessee’s formidability in the interior extends to the defensive side of the ball as it has the nation’s eighth-ranked rush defense, allowing just under 100 rushing yards per game.

James Pearce Jr. is a star along the Volunteers’ defensive line, leading them with 7.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss.

“Their front is very good,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said, “on the edge and inside.”

The Volunteers allow only 13.9 points per game, ranking fourth nationally, and have only once allowed an opponent to score more than 30 points, coming in their 31-17 loss at Georgia last month.

They play at fast pace.  

Tennessee averages 24 seconds per play, the 21^st-fasted tempo in the FBS, a contrast to the Buckeyes’ competition in the Big Ten. Based on this measurement, Akron, averaging 26 seconds per play, ranking 57th, was the most up-tempo opponent that Ohio State saw during the regular season.

The Volunteers’ 888 plays are the 13^th-most as well.

As the Buckeyes began scouting Tennessee last week ahead of their potential matchup, it was apparent.

“They try to put stress on you with space and tempo,” Day said, “so we have to be prepared to play fast in this game. We’ve kind of started that process of what we’re going to do, getting lined up and making sure that our guys got their cleats in the dirt and go play football.”

−Joey Kaufman

What bowl games are in CFP?

The Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl will host quarterfinal games. The venues for this season’s semifinals are the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl.

CFP game locations

The four on-campus first-round CFP games:

• Dec. 20: No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame | 8 p.m. | ABC/ESPN
• Dec. 21: No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State | 12 p.m. | TNT/MAX
• Dec. 21: No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas | 4 p.m. | TNT/MAX
• Dec. 21: No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State | 8 p.m. | ABC/ESPN

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