Tennessee

Ohio State vs. Tennessee: Predictions, odds for College Football Playoff first round

Published

1 year ago

December 18, 2024

Ohio State vs. Tennessee: Predictions, odds for College Football Playoff first round

In one of four College Football Playoff first-round games, the Tennessee Volunteers will travel to Columbus, Ohio to face the Ohio State Buckeyes for a Saturday night SEC vs. Big Ten matchup.

Despite a challenging season, Ohio State secured the No. 8 seed in the playoffs despite suffering a 13-10 loss to Michigan in its final game of the regular-season. Ohio State quarterback Will Howard struggled to move the Buckeyes’ offense, finishing with a completion rate of 57.6%, one touchdown and two interceptions. Following the game, tensions escalated, resulting in fights breaking out on both sides.

Tennessee, which secured the No. 9 seed, is a formidable opponent. The Volunteers ended their season with a 36-23 victory over in-state rival Vanderbilt. Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava had a standout performance, completing 18 of 26 passes for 257 yards and four touchdowns.

But, the playoffs are a new beast and provide a reset for both teams as they set their sights on playing for a national championship in January. The first test comes this weekend as the Buckeyes and Volunteers battle in the first round.

CFP first-round predictions: Ohio State vs. Tennessee

USA Today: No. 8 Ohio State over No. 9 Tennessee

Paul Myerberg writes: “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.”

ESPN: Ohio State has 65% chance to win

According to ESPN’s Matchup Predictor, the Ohio State Buckeyes have a 65.5% chance to beat the Tennessee Volunteers in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

College Football Network: Ohio State 27, Tennessee 23

Will Helms writes: “To be clear, I think Ohio State’s offense is capable of moving the ball down the field through the air, but Tennessee’s defensive line could feast against a reshuffled Buckeyes O-line. But I also trust Kelly to find ways to scheme open elite playmakers like Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka. If this becomes a close game, Ohio State’s experience can make a difference. However, I like the Volunteers as one of the best bets of the opening round. The Buckeyes’ experience and depth should help them close this out, but take the Volunteers to cover in a close one that ticks over.”

Sports Illustrated: Tennessee Volunteers

James Parks writes: “Tennessee +7.5 … We’re taking the Vols to win straight-up on the road given their outright advantage on a very dominant defensive front, which should overpower a Buckeyes offensive line down two key starters to injury, while Dylan Sampson and Tennessee’s gifted ground game do the rest.”

CFP first-round odds, lines: Ohio State vs. Tennessee

The Ohio State Buckeyes are favorites to defeat the Tennessee Volunteers, according to the BetMGM college football odds.

Odds as of Wednesday, Dec. 18.

Spread: Ohio State (-7.5)
Moneylines: Ohio State (-300); Tennessee (+240)
Over/under: 46.5

How to watch Ohio State vs. Tennessee in CFP first round

Date: Saturday, Dec. 21
Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: ABC/ESPN
Stream: ESPN+ and Fubo
Where: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, OH)

Catch CFP games with a Fubo subscription

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Tennessee

Has Tennessee ever made a Final Four? Vols hope third time’s a charm under Barnes

Published

4 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

Has Tennessee ever made a Final Four? Vols hope third time’s a charm under Barnes

For the third straight season, Rick Barnes has Tennessee basketball in the Elite Eight. After Sunday, March 29’s game against No. 1 Michigan, he’s hoping to have taken the Vols where they’ve never been before.

Despite becoming a March Madness fixture, the Tennessee Vols have never, in their history, made the Final Four. Despite a pedigree of modest success, including 11 regular season SEC titles and and five conference tournament championships (most recently in 2022), Tennessee has not been able to cross the threshold to college basketball’s most coveted weekend.

The Barnes era marks the closest Tennessee has come, with consistency, even though its best shot arguably came before Barnes’ time. The Vols’ first Elite Eight trip was under Bruce Pearl in 2010, while Barnes was still roaming the Longhorns bench in Texas.

Barnes has taken Tennessee to the 2024, 2025, and 2026 Elite Eights. There’s an argument to be made 2026 is his most impressive run yet, as a No. 6 seed in the Midwest bracket.

The Vols went as a No. 2 seed in both 2024 and 2025, ultimately losing to the No. 1 seeds of their respective brackets in the Elite Eight. While it could be easy to think it will be more of the same Sunday against No. 1 Michigan, Tennessee has now taken down No. 3 Virginia and No. 2 Iowa State to get to this point. So perhaps one more upset is in store.

Has Tennessee basketball ever made a Final Four?

Tennessee has not made a Final Four in its history, making it one of five SEC schools to not get to the national semifinal round.

The others are Missouri, Mississippi, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt. Alabama basketball made its first Final Four in 2024.

Tennessee basketball Elite Eight record

The Vols are 0-4 in the Elite Eight, with losses in 2010, 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Here’s a look at their full history in the fourth full round of the tournament.

2010: No. 5 Michigan State 70, No. 6 Tennessee 69
2024: No. 1 Purdue 72, No. 2 Tennessee 66
2025: No. 1 Houston 69, No. 2 Tennessee 50
2026: TBD, vs. No. 1 Michigan

Rick Barnes Elite Eight record

Barnes is not just defined by his career at Tennessee. He does have a Final Four appearance, winning his first Elite Eight game with Texas in 2003. Since then, though, he is 0-4 in the Elite Eight, with two losses at both Texas and Tennessee.

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Tennessee football gets commitment from WR Kesean Bowman

Published

16 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Tennessee football gets commitment from WR Kesean Bowman

Tennessee football and coach Josh Heupel picked up a commitment from Brentwood Academy four-star wide receiver Kesean Bowman on March 28 while he was visiting the school.

Bowman narrowed his list to Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Ohio State, Alabama and Miami on March 2. All five schools were among his top 10 he acknowledged on Oct. 30. Texas, LSU, USC, Texas A&M and Oregon were among the schools left off his list.

The 6-foot, 174-pound Bowman is ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the state for the 2027 class. He is the No. 6 wide receiver nationally, according to 247Sports Composite. He has more than 35 other offers. He decommitted from Oregon last September, more than two months after committing to the Ducks.

Bowman was a Division II-AAA Mr. Football semifinalist, who caught 49 passes for 665 yards and 11 TDs, during BA’s 2025 state runner-up season. He also had a rushing TD and was named the DII-AAA West Region Offensive MVP. He was named to The Tennessean’s 2025 All Midstate Large Class football team and is a Middle Tennessee Sports Awards offensive football player of the year nominee.

Bowman helped BA finish 11-1 in 2025, losing to Baylor in the DII-AAA state championship game.

Tennessee and Heupel have also offered Brentwood Academy offensive tackle Rance Brown, a 6-6, 290-pound lineman who transferred from Southside (Alabama). The Vols are pursuing BA junior four-star linebacker Kenneth Simon II as well.

Tyler Palmateer covers high school sports for The Tennessean. Have a story idea for Tyler? Reach him at tpalmateer@tennessean.com and on the X platform, @tpalmateer83.

He also contributes to The Tennessean’s high school sports newsletter, The Bootleg. Subscribe to The Bootleg here.

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What are the Titans’ top remaining needs ahead of 2026 NFL Draft?

Published

1 day ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

What are the Titans’ top remaining needs ahead of 2026 NFL Draft?

The Tennessee Titans have made some improvements throughout the offseason and appear better positioned heading into the draft than they were in 2024, with added depth on both sides of the ball.

Yet, even with the added talent, they still have multiple needs they must continue to address to help both now and in the future, and another solid draft would go a long way in finding a sustainable path forward. Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated looked at the roster and saw some of the same things as he broke down their remaining needs heading into the draft.

Tennessee Titans
Draft needs: RB, WR, edge, S
The running back duo of Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears hasn’t been a productive one. Cam Ward desperately needs a game-changer at one of the skill positions. Newcomer wideout Wan’Dale Robinson doesn’t exactly fit that bill, but he’ll make life easier for the second-year quarterback.
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With Robert Saleh now the head coach in Tennessee, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Titans used the No. 4 pick on one of the top edge rushers.

There is no doubt that the Titans should add some playmakers in this draft class, and they shouldn’t bank on hitting a dynamic playmaker in the fourth round again. Tennessee could definitely use a premium pick on at least one or possibly two offensive weapons.

Tennessee also must invest in the interior of the offensive line to help Cam Ward and the offense. While it’s true that Pollard and Spears did not blow the doors off the running game, they were also hampered by subpar play along the offensive line for the past two seasons, after line guru Bill Callahan failed to transform the Titans’ line into a consistent unit. It wasn’t until after he and his son Brian Callahan left that the play-calling for the running game took off.

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