Ohio State Buckeyes, Tennessee Volunteers Implications on Oregon Ducks, Rose Bowl

The first round of the College Football Playoffs is here, and with the No.1 Oregon Ducks on a bye week before the Rose Bowl, the No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers and No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes are squaring off in Columbus, Ohio, to see who faces Oregon.

Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes mascot Brutus and the Oregon Duck interact during the first half of the NCAA football game at Autzen Stadium / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The College Football Playoff has begun, and Oregon Ducks fans should be watching their televisions closely. Due to Oregon having a bye week after clinching the Big Ten Conference Championship, they will not be seeing the field on Saturday. However, their opponent in the upcoming Rose Bowl will be decided.

In Columbus, Ohio, the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes will host the No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers for a first round playoff game. This is only the second time in history these two football titans have met, with their last meeting at the Citrus Bowl in 1996 (Volunteers won 20-14).

So, how does the winner of this historic match-up affect the No. 1 Oregon Ducks? It all comes down to which team wins.

Fans hold up signs on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the College Football Playoff first round game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Tennessee Volunteers in Columbus on Dec. 21, 2024. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The weather conditions will be a factor, with an 8 p.m. local time kickoff in a wintery Columbus will result in temperatures dropping to around 20 degrees; chilly conditions for an upset-hopeful Tennessee.

Let's start with Ohio State, as it's notoriously very rare in college football team beat an opponent twice (unless you talk to Georgia this year about Texas). Oregon previously beat Ohio State in the regular season by a single point, 32-31, in October. Though it seems Buckeyes fans online are craving a second chance at the Ducks, Oregon fans aren't as sold on the idea of a rematch.

Another added layer to the Buckeyes' story is the precarious place their coach Ryan Day is in. After closing out their season with yet another loss to their biggest rival Michigan, Day's job seems to be under some debate. The coach is 66-10 at Ohio State, but 1-4 against the Wolverines and the team has yet to appear in the Big Ten Championship game since 2020.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day talks on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the College Football Playoff first round game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Tennessee Volunteers in Columbus on Dec. 21, 2024. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Former college football coach and current football analyst Lou Holtz recently posted a video to his social highlighting the potential of an upset in this game.

"I think this will be an excellent game, and I think Tennessee has an excellent chance to upset Ohio State. Because Ohio State will rely on the pass, and Tennessee's outstanding on the run defense," Holtz said. “I think Ohio State is going to be so focused after losing to Michigan. It will do two things. One, it will hurt Ohio State’s confidence. But two, it should motivate them to try to go all the way. That’s the one way they can possibly save Coach Day’s job. Ohio State is a very good football team, but they don’t run the ball well enough to be a great football team.”

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Right now for the Buckeyes, their biggest weakness is their run game. After two big losses in the trenches with center Seth McLaughlin and left tackle Josh Simmons both suffering season-ending injuries, the Buckeyes have produced 115 yards off 29 rushing attempts against Indiana and a miserable 77 yards off 26 carries against Michigan.

With their ground game boasting an average season total of 5 yards per carry, producing a 4 and 3 yards per carry game to round out the season is concerning for the Buckeyes entering this contest. If the Buckeyes do win, this could be a point to exploit for the Ducks.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) runs toward Michigan Wolverines linebacker Ernest Hausmann (15) during the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. Michigan won 13-10. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ohio State's biggest positive is their defense. The Buckeyes have the No. 1 total defense and scoring defense in college football, ranked No. 2 in the nation for passing yards allowed per game with 144.3. When it came to their loss against Michigan, Ohio State's defense appeared to be carrying the team with interceptions from safety Caleb Downs and defensive end Jack Sawyer. With a high-energy, run pass option offense like the Volunteers, the Buckeyes defense will once again be key.

Onto the Volunteers, their biggest strength is the ground game which is quite the opposite compared to the Buckeyes. The Volunteers boast the SEC Player of the Year in running back Dylan Sampson who boasts 1,485 rushing yards during the regular season. Averaging 5.8 yards per carry, that's more than Ohio State's season average. It will be essential for Tennessee to stick to a clear ground game, especially with the frigid temperatures making the passing game more unpredictable.

It's also important to mention Tennessee has one of the best defensive lines in the country, with a prospected first round draft pick in defensive end James Pearce Jr. and a good depth.

Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson (6) runs the ball during the fourth quarter at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee's biggest weakness is their quarterback, Nico Iamaleava. The freshman has a 60.6% completion rate against AP top 25 teams and was sacked five times in Tennessee's 31-17 loss against Georgia. For the Volunteers to get a hot start and the upper hand, Iamaleava has to stray away from mistakes.

There's no doubt that Oregon fans will be tuning in to see if Tennessee or Ohio State prevails. Whichever team comes out victorious will face Oregon on Jan. 1 at 2 p.m. PT in Pasadena, California, for the Rose Bowl for the quarterfinals.

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