The Tennessee Volunteers’ historic College Football Playoff appearance ended in disappointment as they fell 42-17 to Ohio State in their first-round matchup. The sixth-seeded Buckeyes dominated early, jumping to a 21-0 first-quarter lead that proved insurmountable for the seventh-seeded Volunteers.
Quarterback Nico Iamaleava struggled through the air, completing just 14 of 31 passes for 104 yards, though he contributed two rushing touchdowns. Tennessee’s ground game showed promise with Peyton Lewis gaining 77 yards on 10 carries, but couldn’t overcome Ohio State’s balanced attack.
The Volunteers’ defense, led by Jeremiah Telander’s 10 tackles, struggled to contain Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, who threw for 311 yards and two touchdowns. James Pearce Jr. provided a bright spot with two tackles for loss, but Tennessee surrendered 473 total yards.
After falling behind early, Tennessee showed life before halftime with 10 straight points, including a Max Gilbert field goal and Iamaleava’s first touchdown run. However, Ohio State pulled away in the third quarter with two more touchdowns, ending Tennessee’s hopes of a comeback and their first CFP tournament run.
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