Steve Spurrier questions Ohio State getting home playoff game over Tennessee

Following the First Round of the College Football Playoff, Steve Spurrier was left with more questions than answers, especially as it pertained to the Tennessee–Ohio State showdown in Columbus, Ohio.

While both squads possessed the same record, the CFP Selection Committee deemed the Buckeyes more deserving of a home playoff game, as they were the higher-seed over the Volunteers. Spurrier is wondering what the criteria for that decision was, as he didn’t necessarily agree with Tennessee having to go on the road to play Ohio State.

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“If you were the home team, it was a fun weekend,” Spurrier joked, via Another Dooley Noted Podcast. “Tennessee, we’re SEC — I guess we were sort of pulling for Tennessee against Ohio State. Anyway, why was the game at Ohio State? They were 10-2. Tennessee’s 10-2. Who had the tougher schedule? Should get the home game, in my opinion. Cause they were like, No. 8 and No. 9. Right there, together.

“I mean, home field. The team won convincingly in all four games. Don’t tell me there’s not an advantage.”

There was no question Tennessee deserved to be in the CFP, a this past weekend’s game taking place on their home field would’ve made a massive difference. Instead, Ohio State was blessed with the opportunity, and it led to the Buckeyes advancing to the Quarterfinals.

Regardless of the result, Spurrier and many other SEC pundits don’t want to hear Tennessee wasn’t deserving of their spot in the CFP. Paul Finebaum came to the Volunteers’ defense after their loss, believing it was simply an off-weekend for Josh Heupel and company.

“I’m not apologizing for Tennessee being in, they didn’t have a lot of great wins, but they did beat Alabama, which was at the time, a top five team,” Finebaum said, via The Matt Barrie Show. “So let’s not get carried away. My question to any of you, is if not Tennessee, then who else? I mean Tennessee, to me, was in that kind of zone with Indiana that they really didn’t have a lot on their resume, but they had something. I don’t know really what else, I mean Tennessee just got run over. And I think I, as somebody who does a talk show that primarily in the SEC Matt, I heard from 100 Tennessee fans this past week, and not one of them actually talked about what’s going on inside the stadium on the field. All they wanted to talk about was, you know, we’re going to invade. 

“That had nothing to do with the game. All that did was embarrass Ohio State for proving our point that Ryan Day was in more trouble than you wanted to make out to be on a Sunday morning. But again, I can’t tell you that Tennessee didn’t belong there because they at least have had something that nobody else, that Indiana and SMU did not have, they had a quality win.”

Alas, Tennessee fans will forever wonder how their season could’ve gone if this past weekend’s clash with Ohio State took place at Neyland Stadium. Josh Heupel is building something special, and there will be other bites at the apple, but the manner in which the Volunteers lost will stick in their craw all offseason.

On3’s Nick Kosko contributed to this article.