Who will win the CFP game?

On December 15, 2024By Littum

With Ohio State seeded no. 8 in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff, Buckeyes must meet no. 9 in Tennessee.

Both teams are 10-2 and are considered comparable. Therefore, the predictions on who will win vary.

Ohio State vs. Tennessee predictions

From Joey Kaufman of The Dispatch:

Ohio State 30, Tennessee 24

The early feeling here is that the Buckeyes will bounce back from a tough loss to rival Michigan and return to the playoffs 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 recent team with a first-year starting quarterback in Nico Iamaleava, a redshirt freshman. Watch Jim Knowles’ side of the ball get enough stops in a close 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, uh, choose to believe that Ryan Day and Chip Kelly have learned their lesson and will throw the ball to spark the run. No. 8 Buckeyes’ defense will be just good enough to win the day and send 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 first pairing of the opening round and a good barometer of how playoff matchups could play out 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 advantage: home court advantage and a more credible offense. Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard has more experience and better ability. But another big game from Volunteers signal caller Nico Iamaleava could easily move this game in the opposite direction.

Ohio State CFP Predictions

To win the national title, the Buckeyes must win four games.

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

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 Oct. 12, are the only 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.

Who will Ohio State play in the CFP?

Ohio State, seed no. 8, must meet no. 9 in Tennessee.

Both teams are 10-2.

When does Ohio State play Tennessee in the CFP?

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

What time does Ohio State play Tennessee in the CFP

The Buckeyes and Tennessee will play at 8:00 PM on December 21st.

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 stadium’s 102-year history.

Ohio State vs. Tickets Tennessee

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

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

To see a complete list of ticket prices, visit StubHubVividSeats, Gametime and Seat Geek.

See Ohio State ticket prices for the playoffs

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

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

CFP schedule

First round (December 20-21)

no. 10 Indiana at no. 7 Notre Dame, Friday, December 20: at 20 | ABC/ESPN

No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State, Saturday, December 21: at 12 | TNT

no. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas, Saturday, December 21: 4:00 p.m. | TNT

No. 9 Tennessee at Ohio State no. 8, Saturday 21 December: at 20 | ABC/ESPN

Quarterfinals (December 31-January 1)

Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Boise State vs. No. 6 Penn State/No. 11 SMU to win, 7:30 pm Tuesday, December 31 | ESPN

Peach Bowl: No. 4 Arizona State vs. No. 5 Texas/No. 12 Clemson winner, 6 p.m. 13 Wednesday 1 January | ESPN

Rose Bowl: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 8 Ohio State/No. 9 Tennessee to win, 5:00 PM Wednesday, January 1 | ESPN

Sugar bowl: no. 2 Georgia vs. no. 7 Notre Dame/no. 10 Indiana to win, 8:45 PM Wednesday, January 1 | ESPN

Semi-finals (January 9-10)

Orange Bowl: 19.30 Thursday 9 January | ESPN

Cotton bowl: 19.30 Friday 10 January | ESPN

CFP National Championship

19.30 Monday 20 January | Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia | ESPN

What do Ohio State fans need to know about Tennessee?

Josh Heupel’s Tennessee rebuild involved perimeter talent.

During Volunteers‘ breakthrough in 2022, few offenses in the country 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 eighth-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 do not have a receiver with more than 35 receptions. Hyatt caught 67 passes when he won the Marvin Harrison Jr. two years ago. for the Biletnikoff Award.

Sampson has been a workhorse back with 256 carries. Only nine in the Football Bowl Subdivision have collected more in 2024. His role has been helping 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 last season to push the ball vertically down the field.

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 crushing yards. He has received 927 after contact.

Tennessee’s prowess on 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. match.

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 just 13.9 points per game. game, ranked fourth nationally, and has allowed an opponent to score more than 30 points just once, which came in their 31-17 loss at Georgia last month.

They play at a high tempo.

Tennessee plays an average of 24 seconds per game. game, the 21st^St-steady pace in the FBS, a contrast to the Buckeyes’ competition in the Big Ten. Based on this measurement, Akron, with an average of 26 seconds per game, ranking 57th, the most up-tempo opponent Ohio State faced in the regular season.

The Volunteers’ 888 plays are the 13th^th– also most of them.

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

“They try to put pressure on you with space and pace,” Day said, “so we’ve got to be prepared to play fast in this game. We’ve kind of started that process of what we’re going to do by putting up and make sure our guys got their cleats in the ground and go play football.”

−Joey Kaufman

What bowl games are in the CFP?

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

CFP sites

The four first-round CFP games on campus:

December 20: No. 10 Indiana at no. 7 Notre Dame | 20.00 | ABC/ESPN
December 21: No. 11 SMU at Penn State no. 6 | 12.00 | TNT/MAX
December 21: No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas | 16.00 | TNT/MAX
December 21: No. 9 Tennessee at Ohio State no. 8 | 20.00 | ABC/ESPN

Ohio State vs. Tennessee History

The Buckeyes and Volunteers have met just once, a 20-14 Tennessee win in the rain-soaked 1996 Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida.

Future Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning was the Tennessee quarterback and had a relatively quiet day. He threw for just 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 touchdown in the second quarter – to earn MVP honors.

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