For the first time in nearly 30 years, Ohio State is squaring off against Tennessee.
The last time they met was on New Year’s Day 1996 in the Citrus Bowl — Peyton Manning went toe-to-toe with Rickey Dudley — and UT squeaked out an upset 20-14 win.
This year, the clubs are duking it out again in the expanded College Football Playoff. The 10-2 Buckeyes enter the contest on a bit of a sour note. Their shocking 13-10 loss to Michigan in The Game dropped them from No. 2 in the country all the way to their current eight seed. Thankfully, they’ll likely have starting quarterback Will Howard at their disposal in this highly-anticipated matchup.
“You can see he’s got a bounce in a step right now. He wants to get back on the field as fast as he possibly can. You can see that,” head coach Ryan Day said. “And he wants to lead this offense, and it’s gonna be a very important part of this game on Saturday night is his leadership. And he’ll be ready to go.”
No. 9 Tennessee — who are also 10-2 — had a much happier end to their regular season. After a 56-0 shellacking of UTEP, Nico Iamaleava and the Vols took down Vanderbilt 36-23 in their final 2024 game.
Whoever wins this game has a tall order should they advance to the quarterfinals. There, the victor will take on No. 1 Oregon, who ended the season with a perfect 13-0 record.
For those that would like to see the two heavyweight programs fight to advance, here’s everything you need to know about the Ohio State vs. Tennessee College Football Playoff game, from start time and channel, to how to watch for free.
Ohio State-Tennessee date and time: When does Ohio State play Tennessee in the College Football Playoffs?
Ohio State takes on Tennessee in the College Football Playoff tonight, December 21, at 8:00 p.m. EST.
What channel is Ohio State vs. Tennessee on?
Ohio State vs. Tennessee will air on ABC and ESPN, so if you subscribe to cable or use an antenna, just flip the channel to either of those around 8:00.
How to watch Ohio State vs. Tennessee for free:
If you don’t have cable, the only way to stream Ohio State vs, Tennessee for free is to use a live TV streaming service with a free trial.
We recommend DIRECTV Stream, which offers a five-day free trial for new subscribers. When the trial is over, you’ll pay $86.98/month and gain access to over 90 live channels including ESPN, ABC, and TNT (where other CFB and Bowl games will air this season).
Other ways to watch Ohio State vs. Tennessee:
While Sling TV doesn’t offer a free trial, you’ll save a lot of money on a whole month of streaming rather than just five days free.
Sling TV’s Orange plan includes ESPN, and right now, you can get 50% off your first month. Instead of $40, you’ll pay $20 and get access to nearly the entire CFB Playoff and Bowl schedule before the second month payment starts.
How to Watch Ohio State vs. Tennessee from Anywhere:
If you are outside of the US or unable to watch Ohio State vs. Tennessee in your region, consider a VPN (Virtual Private Network). Whether you’re traveling or living abroad, using a VPN allows you to stream live TV and your favorite shows and movies using your usual streaming services, without any restrictions. A VPN lets you change the IP address on your device so that you can access your favorite apps and websites whether you’re in the UK, Canada, Mexico, or anywhere in the world.
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Where is today’s Ohio State-Tennessee game being played?
The cutthroat matchup will be played at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, OH.
Ohio State-Tennessee broadcast team:
Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe are the broadcast team calling the Ohio State vs. Tennessee playoff game.
College Football Playoff schedule:
The College Football Playoffs continue next week with a quartet of quarterfinal games. Here’s who you can expect to see should you tune in.
Quarterfinals:
- Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Boise State vs. No. 6/No. 11 winner, December 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Peach Bowl: No. 4 Arizona State vs. No. 5/No. 12 winner, January 1 at 1:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Rose Bowl: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 8/No. 9 winner, January 1 at 5:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 7/No. 10 winner, January 1 at 8:45 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Semifinals:
- Orange Bowl, January 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Cotton Bowl, January 10 at 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
National Championship:
- January 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
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