After the heart-wrenching loss to Michigan and missing out on the Big Ten Championship, Ohio State will take on Tennessee in the first round of the College Football Playoffs. As the Buckeyes gear up for their bout with the Volunteers in Columbus, head coach Ryan Day made something crystal clear to his players about the challenge Tennessee poses.
The regular season ended in grief for Ohio State, however, the Buckeyes must turn the page on their recent frustration, and focus on the bigger goal ahead. Though losing ‘The Game’ is almost catastrophic, the season is not over for Ohio State, on the contrary, everything is still in front of them.
However, the Buckeyes won’t have a walk in the park when they host the Volunteers on December 21 at 8p.m. ET. It’s been a long time coming, but Ohio State will finally play under the lights at The Horseshoe. Two weeks ahead of the pivotal matchup, Day sent his players a strong wake-up call.
“We gotta be prepared to play fast in this game.” Ryan Day commented, via On3. “Making sure that our guys got their cleats in the dirt and go play football. Because, again, how do they try to stress you out? They try to stress you out horizontally, vertically, and then with their tempo.”

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day arrives to the stadium prior to the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Northwestern Wildcats at Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois.
Day addresses Vols’ offense
Tennessee’s running back Dylan Sampson led the SEC in rushing yards for the 2024 season and finished eighth throughout the NCAA with 1,485 yards on the ground. His 22 rushing touchdowns also had him at the top of the standings in the SEC.

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Quarterback Nico Iamaleava put on a strong, consistent year, as well. The freshman signal caller in Knoxvill finished the campaign with 2,512 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. The Buckeyes will have to account for the great backfield in Josh Heupel’s offense, and Day explained how they can wreak havoc on any defense.
“The quarterback has a strong arm. Running back (Dylan Sampson) is excellent. Think he’s All-SEC, runs low to the ground. They spread you out and try to create space issues for you. I think the receivers, you know, some big ones. There’s some quick guys in there. I mean, they’re talented. And so, they try to put as much stress on you, especially with the space and the tempo.”