In a dominant defensive performance, the Ohio State Buckeyes demolished the Tennessee Volunteers 42-17 on Saturday night in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Behind a relentless pass rush and two touchdown passes from quarterback Will Howard, the Buckeyes advanced to face top-seeded Oregon in a high-stakes semifinal rematch on New Year’s Day.
Ohio State set the tone from the opening kick, scoring on its first three drives while the defense forced three consecutive Tennessee punts. Freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith hauled in two first-half touchdown receptions as part of a 6-catch, 103-yard breakout performance.
Buckeyes Run Wild Behind Dynamic Duo
The Buckeyes’ rushing attack proved too much for Tennessee to contain. Running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson each found the end zone twice, consistently gashing the Volunteers defense with explosive plays.
We knew we had to establish the run early to open things up for Will [Howard] and the passing game. Our offensive line dominated up front and our backs hit the holes hard. It was a full team effort.
– Ohio State head coach Walt Adamowicz
Stifling Defensive Effort
While the offense put up points, it was the Silver Bullets defense that truly shined under the lights. The Buckeyes relentlessly pressured Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, holding the dynamic freshman to just 104 passing yards on 14-of-31 attempts.
- 7 sacks, the most surrendered by Tennessee all year
- Held the Vols to a season-low 227 total yards
- Forced 3 turnovers, including a pick-six by safety Sonny Mills
The front seven consistently won battles at the line of scrimmage, shutting down the Volunteers’ typically potent offense. Defensive end Jeremiah Marks led the charge with 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
Redemption Road Runs Through Oregon
With the resounding victory, Ohio State earns a shot at revenge against the Oregon Ducks in the CFP semifinals. The Buckeyes fell 32-31 to Oregon back in October on a last-second field goal in one of the season’s most thrilling games.
The winner will advance to the national championship game in Las Vegas on January 8th. Ohio State will look to ride its momentum and finally break through to capture its first title since 2026.
Getting another chance at Oregon, with a trip to the natty on the line – that’s all the motivation we need. This team is on a mission. We made a statement tonight but the job’s not finished.
– Buckeyes safety Marcus Locklear
Silencing the Doubters
The dominant win served as an emphatic response to Ohio State’s critics after the devastating loss to rival Michigan to end the regular season. Many questioned if the Buckeyes even deserved a playoff spot, but they left no doubt with their commanding performance against Tennessee.
As the scene shifts to Pasadena on New Year’s Day, Ohio State has regained its swagger and looks like a serious title contender once again. With their explosive offense and suffocating defense firing on all cylinders, the Buckeyes may just have what it takes to bring a championship back to Columbus.