The ninth-seeded Volunteers will journey to tackle eighth-seeded Ohio State at 8 p.m. ET within the first spherical of the College Football Playoff on Saturday, Dec. 21 from Ohio Stadium. The sport will likely be televised by ESPN and ABC.
The first-round winner advances to tackle top-seeded Oregon, the Big Ten champion, within the Rose Bowl Game on New Year’s Day in Pasadena, California. The CFP quarterfinal kicks off at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Tennessee (10-2, 6-2 SEC) and Ohio State (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) will meet for simply the second time. The two groups confronted one another within the 1996 Citrus Bowl, as MVP Jay Graham rushed for 154 yards, and Peyton Manning accomplished 20-of-35 passes and a landing to raise the Volunteers to a 20-14 win. It will likely be Tennessee’s first sport within the state of Ohio.
Ohio State completed fourth within the Big Ten this season with key victories over playoff members Penn State and Indiana. The matchup will characteristic a battle of two of the highest 5 whole and scoring defenses within the nation. The Buckeyes are first within the FBS, permitting solely 10.9 factors per sport and 241.1 yards per contest. Meanwhile, Tennessee is fourth within the nation, issuing 13.9 factors per sport and fifth within the FBS permitting 278.3 yards per contest.
Ranked No. 7, Tennessee earned the No. 9 seed since Group of Five automated bid Boise State and Big 12 champion Arizona State acquired the Nos. 3 and No. 4 seeds, respectively. The Vols had been one in all three SEC groups to earn CFP berths, becoming a member of SEC champion No. 2 seed Georgia and No. 5 seed Texas.
Tennessee leaned on the SEC’s prime speeding assault, which put up 232.0 yards per sport led by the spectacular play of junior operating again Dylan Sampson. Sampson, USA Today Network’s SEC Player of the Year, shattered 5 college single-season information, speeding for 1,485 yards on 256 carries and 22 touchdowns.
The Vols held 10 of their 12 opponents beneath 20 factors due to a stifling protection that restricted seven of their eight Power Four opponents beneath their season scoring common.
The College Football Playoff berth is one other vital accomplishment for Heupel’s Vols, who had been 3-7 a yr previous to his arrival. Four years into his tenure, Tennessee has received 37 video games and 30 video games since 2022, which is the fourth-most within the SEC throughout that span. It’s the winningest three-year stretch for this system since claiming 30 victories from 1998-2000.
Preparations for the College Football Playoff are nicely underway. The Volunteers will follow subsequent week, take part in commencement on Friday after which enter sport week. All CFP first-round members will deal with the primary spherical like a standard sport week schedule and depart for his or her vacation spot the day earlier than the sport.
2024 College Football Playoff First Round Schedule
all occasions Eastern
Friday, Dec. 20
(10) Indiana at (7) Notre Dame, 8 p.m., ESPN and ABC
Saturday, Dec. 21
(11) SMU at (6) Penn State, midday, TNT
(12) Clemson at (5) Texas, 4 p.m., TNT
(9) Tennessee at (8) Ohio State, 8 p.m., ESPN and ABC
College Football Playoff Committee Rankings
1. Oregon (13-0)
2. Georgia (11-2)
3. Texas (11-2)
4. Penn State (11-2)
5. Notre Dame (11-1)
6. Ohio State (10-2)
7. Tennessee (10-2)
8. Indiana (11-1)
9. Boise State (12-1)
10. SMU (11-2)
11. Alabama (9-3)
12. Arizona State (11-2)
13. Miami (10-2)
14. Ole Miss (9-3)
15. South Carolina (9-3)
16. Clemson (10-3)
17. BYU (10-2)
18. Iowa State (10-3)
19. Missouri (9-3)
20. Illinois (9-3)
21. Syracuse (9-3)
22. Army (11-1)
23. Colorado (9-3)
24. UNLV (10-3)
25. Memphis (10-2)
Josh Heupel CFP Selection Day Press Conference
Opening assertion…
“Good afternoon all people. Certainly enthusiastic about being within the playoff and, clearly, enjoying an amazing program that is had a ton of success in latest historical past however all through their program historical past (and) actually what they’ve executed on the sector this yr. Excited that we get a chance to play an elite program like that. As we prepare right here, perceive what it is going to take to go on the highway and play actually good soccer towards an amazing soccer crew.”
On how a lot they have been capable of get a head begin on movie research for Ohio State and his first impressions of their protection…
“For us, final week we had been capable of get on the grass and have a few practices being intentional with our younger guys. We felt like there have been a number of situations nonetheless that had been at play, so right now we sort of begin the movie research of our opponent. Our guys are within the constructing right here getting some therapy and rehab right now, however we’ll transfer ahead tomorrow with these guys. The little that I’ve had a chance to observe by way of the season as a Saturday afternoon if you’re watching soccer or right now getting an opportunity to digest the tape, this can be a roster that is stuffed with elite gamers and that is coached extraordinarily nicely. They’re sensible, they’re robust, they’re bodily on either side of the road of scrimmage and do an amazing job on particular groups too. So for us, perceive the standard of opponent we’re on the brink of play. We’re going to must play at our greatest and wish a few nice weeks of preparation to provide ourselves an opportunity to try this in Columbus.”
On getting ready to play in extraordinarily chilly climate…
“Yeah, unsure what the temperature will likely be up there at evening. Know it will not be sunny and 85. We performed in 30-dergee climate per week in the past. For us, a number of our practices are within the morning, we’re exterior (and) it will be related temperatures to what you are going to rise up there. Our guys have gotten to have the ability to deal with something that comes at them, whether or not it is exterior distractions, it is us on the brink of go be our greatest, 11-on-11 between the white traces and we’ll be able to deal with that and function at a excessive stage.”
On the crew not placing an excessive amount of strain on itself going into the playoffs…
“We play in an amazing convention and play elite applications all through the course of the season. Understanding once more this can be a nice alternative and if you get into the postseason you’re enjoying in a sport like this you bought to do the atypical issues at a extremely excessive stage. You received to do them persistently for 4 quarters. It’s not about some magical play that’s going to be the distinction within the soccer sport. It’s in regards to the fundamentals, approach and eye self-discipline. Playing throughout the construction of what you are doing in any three phases of the sport that takes you to the flexibility to go make performs. It’s all in regards to the preparation and lead-up. Those are the identical messages that our guys hear all through the season. It’s been what this group has executed. They’ve earned the precise to play in a sport like this. Now it is about our preparation and ensuring we’re at our greatest once we get there.”
On any change in mindset going into the playoffs…
“It is enterprise as traditional so far as you bought to be utterly invested in your preparation. That’s on the follow discipline, that is within the assembly room. You’ve received to care for your physique at an elite stage to just remember to’re at you are greatest personally once we get to kickoff. It is a unique season, you have to play your self into this and now it is about benefiting from the chance that we’ve. The solely factor that issues is Saturday evening contained in the stadium in Columbus, Ohio. For us, we have performed in huge video games. We’ve received to be able to go deal with all the pieces that we will face on that evening however it’s your preparation that takes you to that second. Being utterly invested in what issues within the current is a very powerful factor everyday.
On his early ideas on Ohio State quarterback Will Howard…
“We’ll get into the tape right now however taking a look at them offensively, they received explosive playmakers out on the perimeter. Big, sturdy, thick, bodily offensive linemen. Great ability on the operating again place. Again, in a sport like this I feel the road of scrimmage issues. You received to do an amazing job towards the run. We’re going to must defend their explosive playmakers out on the perimeter. We received to do an amazing job of bottling the quarterback up.”
On what it means to make the playoffs for the primary time…
“For us, it’s the subsequent step for our program. This is one thing our gamers have labored in direction of since final January. Again, you earn the precise to be in a sport like this. Proud of what we have executed all through the course of the common season. The new season begins right here. There was an expectation inside our program to earn the precise to play in a sport like this within the postseason. So, a number of pleasure in right here but additionally perceive we’re on the brink of go play an amazing crew and we have to be at our greatest.”
On practising exterior to organize for potential chilly climate matchup…
“I really feel like in the course of the course of the lead as much as kickoff, we’ll be exterior as a lot as we probably can. Typically, the temperatures in some unspecified time in the future throughout this preparation will mirror what we expect we’ll have on Saturday evening up there. We usually get exterior until one thing will not be proper with the grass fields right here, so far as moist, damp, frost, no matter it could be.”
On gamers coming into the switch portal earlier than the playoffs start…
“To me, people are going to make the choice that they really feel is correct for them, their household, no matter it could be. I simply know that as a competitor, doing this a very long time, as a coach but additionally in my enjoying expertise, I can not think about not desirous to take part in what I feel is without doubt one of the most original alternatives, in your enjoying profession but additionally in your life. You’ve poured a number of work into it, and this can be a distinctive alternative.”
On the good thing about enjoying or not enjoying throughout convention championship weekend…
“For us inside this program, enjoying (the SEC Championship) in Atlanta is without doubt one of the first objectives that we’ve as a program. Disappointed that we weren’t capable of be there. But for us final week, we had been capable of get some good work, specifically for our younger guys. Our veterans received some work too. Some of these guys, simply by means of the length of the season, making an attempt to get these guys wholesome as we began preparation this week.”
On what stands out to him about Ohio State head coach Ryan Day…
“I’ve not had a chance to cross paths with him very a lot. Great respect for what he is executed in his teaching profession, what he is executed there at Ohio State and the success that they’ve had year-in and year-out. Great appreciation for a way he is executed it and what he is been capable of accomplish there.”
