In what is expected to be the best game of the first round of the College Football Playoffs, the Tennessee Volunteers will be taking on the Ohio State Buckeyes. The winner of this game will move on to the quarterfinals where they will play the No. 1 seeded Oregon Ducks.
The game will kick off at 5 p.m. PT/ 8 p.m. ET from Ohio Stadium in Columbus. Ohio State gets to host the game due to them being ranked just higher in the playoff bracket.
The Buckeyes enter this game with a record of 10-2 and are coming off a bad loss to the rival Michigan Wolverines a few weeks ago. Ohio State will seek some redemption in this game but will be tested by the Volunteers.
Tennessee also holds a record of 10-2 on the year and they are looking to pull the big upset. The Volunteers have been one of the better offensive teams in all of college football this season but the Buckeyes defense will present a challenge.
But who ends up winning this game? Newsweek Sports has expert predictions for this highly-anticipated matchup.
Matt Levine: Having this game at "The Shoe" will give the Buckeyes a massive advantage but Tennessee is no stranger to hostile environments. The Volunteers play against Alabama, Georgia, and other SEC teams year in and year out, so this will be another tough game for them to overcome.
The biggest question in this game will be how the Buckeyes do against the tough rushing attack of Tennessee. If the Volunteers get into a groove, it could be a long game for Ohio State. But the Buckeyes defense has been pretty good this year, with the pass rush leading the charge.
Ohio State is lucky that the playoff committee gave them a home game here as it easily could have been Tennessee hosting this. But in the end, the Buckeyes just get past the Volunteers in a back-and-forth contest.
Prediction: Ohio State 34, Tennessee 30
Valentina Martinez: I'm taking the Buckeyes at home against the Volunteers. It won't be a blowout, if anything it'll come down to the wire.
Prediction: Tennessee 28, Ohio State 30
Ricardo Sandoval: This game could be the game of the weekend. The Tennesee Volunteers will travel to the horseshoe to take on the Buckeyes. The last time we saw the Buckeyes, it was not pretty, and they will be looking to take it out on the Volunteers. It won't be easy for the Buckeyes, and I have them barely squeaking this one out.
Prediction: Ohio State 30, Tennessee 27
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