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Both Tennessee and Ohio State come into the first round of the CFB Playoff with something to prove.
Each team lost their most-recent notable game. The Vols dropped a 14-point loss to Georgia on November 16 and the Buckeyes suffered a humiliating loss to Michigan on November 30.
Most of Tennessee’s trouble has come away from home. The Vols lost to Georgia and Arkansas on the road and struggled to beat Oklahoma back in September.
The Vols even fell behind 17-7 to Vanderbilt after one quarter in their last game.
Ohio State proved it could play with top-ranked Oregon in a one-point loss and it beat the other two Big Ten playoff teams, Penn State and Indiana.
However, the Buckeyes’ perceived strength in the matchup is not that big because they struggled in all facets against Michigan.
Ohio State’s defense is its best unit, and if it can keep Nico Iamaleava under wraps, the Buckeyes should pull away from the Vols.
The Buckeyes offense was only dominant in one of the three top-10 battles from Big Ten play. Will Howard needs to play much better for OSU to not just win, but make a statement that it can win the national title.
Prediction: Ohio State 24, Tennessee 16
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