College football experts, talking heads, reporters predictions for Ohio State vs. Tennessee

COLUMBUS — Ohio State is set to face Tennessee in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday night (8 p.m., ABC) inside the Horseshoe.

The Buckeyes are coming off an embarrassing 13-10 rivalry loss to Michigan, which kept them from playing Oregon in the Big Ten title game but didn’t keep them from a home CFP game. The Volunteers, meanwhile, beat Vanderbilt to cap off a 10-2 season and make the CFP.

Experts and talking heads are torn on who will win in Columbus on Saturday night. Lettermen Row has a full breakdown of every prediction we’ve seen from around the college football world and put them into one big list of picks.

On3 predictions for Ohio State vs. Tennessee

On3 national college football reporter Andy Staples: Tennessee

On3 national college football reporter Ari Wasserman: Ohio State

On3 national college football analyst JD PicKell: Buckeyes (27-24)

Analysis from Wasserman: “We all know Ohio State has enough talent to win a national title, but will the Buckeyes be successful in moving past the embarrassing loss to the Wolverines? Tennessee is much better than Michigan and I expect the Volunteers to give Ohio State all it can handle. The Buckeyes edge it out.”

Analysis from Staples: “I’m not as worried about vibes as I am strategy. Ohio State tried to beat Michigan at Michigan’s game, and that’s how you wind up targeting Jeremiah Smith just twice. That’s coaching malpractice, and if Ohio State lets Tennessee dictate the tempo and tone of the game, the Buckeyes will lose.”

Other predictions from around college football

CBS Sports’ college football analyst Josh Pate: Buckeyes to win, Tennessee to cover

CBS Sports’ national college football reporter Shehan Jeyarajah: Ohio State (has Buckeyes winning the national championship)

CBS Sports’ national college football reporter Richard Johnson: Buckeyes

CBS Sports’ national college football reporter Tom Fornelli: “I think Ohio State wins more often than not because it’s been much better finishing drives on offense than Tennessee has, but I don’t think either team will look great on offense or be capable of pulling away from the other.”

CBS Sports’ national college football reporter Dennis Dodd: Buckeyes (27-13)

FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt: Buckeyes (31-20)

Analysis from Klatt: “Just 25 points per game in SEC play, that’s ninth in the conference,” Klatt said of Tennessee. “They don’t really have that secondary out-pitch if you will, the ability to change up, go big, do different things. Ohio State’s the best defense in the country. They’re the No. 1 total defense and the No. 1 scoring defense in America, so this will be the best defense that Tennessee has faced all year. Yes, it’s a better defense than Georgia. Do you really think that Tennessee is all of the sudden, on the road, going to light up Ohio State?

“I just have my doubts about that, I really have my doubts and I believe that the game plan for the Buckeyes is going to be very dynamic on the offensive side. I think Ohio State actually covers the 7.5. I think Ohio State wins this one somewhere like 31-20, something along those lines and they move one.”

The Solid Verbal co-host Ty Hildenbrandt: Buckeyes 

The Solid Verbal co-host Dan Rubenstein: Buckeyes (21-17)

ESPN FPI: Ohio State has 63.8% win probability

ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy: Buckeyes “comfortably”

Analysis from McElroy: “I’m taking Ohio State in the game,” McElroy said on Always College Football. “I’m actually going to lay the points. I also think it’s going to be a low-scoring affair. I think way too much attention has been paid to the shortcomings of Ohio State in their most recent game. And not enough attention is being paid to the great moments that Ohio State had throughout the other 11 games of the season. 

“I think we see Ohio State’s best in this performance. I think Ryan Day knows they need it. I think the defensive plan will slow down an offense that at times has been a little bit inconsistent. And I think their defensive front will take advantage of the edges of the offensive line for Tennessee and create a lot of problems for Nico Iamaleava. I like Ohio State to win this game comfortably. And I also think their defense will slow down Tennessee in the process.” 

The Ringer talking head Ryen Russillo: Tennessee

Kings of the North co-host Doug Lesmerises: Buckeyes (30-17)

Kings of the North co-host Bill Landis: Tennessee (24-21)