It’s official. The Vols are in the field and will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
The Vols held firm at the #9 seed, as did the Buckeyes at 8, and the schools will face off in two weeks in Columbus, Ohio.
THE BRACKET IS SET ✍️
Who are you taking to win the #CFBPlayoff? pic.twitter.com/9BDWwesEVL
— ESPN (@espn) December 8, 2024
There was hope entering Saturday that perhaps a lopsided loss by Georgia or Penn State would drop either team down and give Tennessee a home game.
Instead, the Bulldogs got by the Texas Longhorns in overtime 22-19, and they did it with Carson Beck out for half the game with an injury. Penn State ended up giving Oregon a four quarter fight, losing 45-37. Accordingly, Texas and Penn State still managed to fall into the range of hosting a game in the first round.
According to Nicole Auerbach of NBC Sports, the Tennessee-Ohio State will be in the night game slot on Saturday, December 21, meaning the Vols will be taking the field at what’s likely a frigid Ohio Stadium that night.
Ohio State-Tennessee is the Saturday night game.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) December 8, 2024
However, like Josh Heupel said, “if you’re not of the mindset going into this thing, anyone, anywhere, anytime, then you’re just there to have a cup of coffee anyway.”
We’ll find out on December 21, if the Vols will be having more than a cup of coffee in this year’s playoff.
Go Vols!