December 21, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA Ohio State Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) tackles Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Gaston Moore (13) during the first half of a College Football Playoff first-round game at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory credit: Adam Cairns-Imagn Images COLUMBUS, Ohio — Will Howard threw for 311 yards and two touchdowns, both to Jeremiah Smith, and Trevejon Henderson rushed for two scores as No. 8 seed Ohio State beat No. 9 Tennessee 42-17 in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday.
Ohio State (11-2) will play No. 1 Oregon (13-0) in the quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 1.
Smith’s second TD, a 22-yarder with nine minutes left in the third quarter, made it 28-10. Henderson’s 24-yarder early in the fourth extended the lead to 42-10.
Howard finished 24-of-29 passing with an interception, while Smith had six catches for 103 yards. Henderson gained 80 yards on 10 carries.
The kickoff temperature was 25 degrees with a wind chill of 17 before a crowd of 102,819, with about 40 percent for the Vols.
The Volunteers (10-3) trailed 21-10 at halftime after looking like they would be blown away.
Tennessee got a 36-yard Max Gilbert field goal after a Davison Igbinosun interception at the Ohio State 19 was negated by a roughing the passer penalty.
The Volunteers pulled within 11 on a 1-yard run by Nico Iamaleava with 20 seconds left before halftime to cap a 16-play, 79-yard drive with 4:03 left.
Iamaleava completed 14 of 31 passes for 104 yards and rushed 20 times for 47 yards and two TDs.
Ohio State outgained the Volunteers for first quarter scores of 75, 68 and 58 yards to take a 21-0 lead while outgaining the visitors 205-16 in total yards.
On the first possession of the game, the Buckeyes took a 7-0 lead on a 37-yard run by Smith.
Quinshon Judkins made it 14-0 with a 1-yard run and Henderson extended the lead to 21-0 on a 29-yard run.
Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson, the Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Year, had two carries for 6 yards in the first quarter before leaving with an undisclosed injury. He returned it in the third quarter for a 2-yard gain, but had no more carries.
–Craig Merz, Field Level Media
