No. 8 seed Ohio State (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) will host No. 9 seed Tennessee (10-2, 6-2 SEC) on Saturday in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
Kickoff between the Vols and Buckeyes is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
ABC will televise the matchup. Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst), Holly Rowe (reporter) and Marty Smith (reporter) will be on the call.
“Excited to get to kickoff with our guys,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said on Wednesday during his final media availability ahead of playing at Ohio State. “Understand the quality of the opponent that we’re getting ready to play. The atmosphere of the game itself is going to be electric, and everybody inside of our program is excited to go play this one.”
READ: Ohio State president Ted Carter gives expectation for amount of Vol fans in Columbus
Ahead of kickoff on Saturday, Vols Wire goes behind enemy lines with Buckeyes Wire’s Phil Harrison. Harrison’s preview of Ohio State is listed below.
Who are Ohio State’s best players on offense?
Jeremiah Smith. Adam Cairns/USA TODAY Network
We have to start by talking about freshman phenom, Jeremiah Smith. Biletnikoff or not, he is the best wide receiver in college football. He has an NFL body now and would be a first rounder if he were able to be eligible for the draft. He still has two more years in Columbus to show off his route running, strength, speed and ability to make the highlight catch look rather routine. He was not utilized very much against Michigan and that has to change on Saturday. You also have arguably the best running back tandem in college with Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, but do not sleep on the rest of the receiving corp either. Carnell Tate has emerged as a big play threat on the outside and Emeka Egbuka will be a high round draft pick in April. If quarterback Will Howard plays like he has most of the year, he too has shown great accuracy and the ability to get things done on the ground.
Who are Ohio State’s best players on defense?
Caleb Downs. Samantha Madar-Imagn Images
Safety Caleb Downs has been OSU’s best player on defense. The Alabama transfer is a difference maker on the back end with his ability to close and erase plays but also has a nose for coming up and helping out with the run game. He’ll be critical in this matchup for run support, maybe more so than any other game.
Did Ohio State lose any key players during the NCAA transfer portal window?
Devin Brown. Samantha Madar/USA TODAY Network
Nobody that is going to be too significant in this game. Like most years, it has been hard to keep all the talented quarterbacks the Buckeyes recruit on the roster happy. Backup quarterback Devin Brown and high four-star quarterback “Air Noland” have both entered the transfer portal. Brown is staying on for the playoff games, but another Alabama transfer, Julian Sayin is most likely the next guy to see the field and take over the reigns.
What is the perception of Ryan Day with Ohio State fans?
Adam Cairns/USA TODAY Network
It is not good. At Ohio State, you have to beat Michigan, and you better make a run at some national titles and win one somewhere along the way. There is a very loud section of the fanbase that want Day out, especially after the fourth-straight loss to “That Team Up North.”
Outside of hosting Michigan, where does this game rank in terms of anticipation for an Ohio State home game?
Doral Chenoweth/USA TODAY Network
Not much will touch Michigan, but it is pretty high up there for a few reasons. No. 1, it is the first ever playoff game in the Horseshoe, and first December home game. No. 2, playing an SEC opponent — of which Ohio State has not fared very well against — always gets the blood going a little bit. It is also against a well-respected, blueblood type program, so I would say the excitement level is really good, especially with the alternative that were out there.
